Permanent
by UntouchableHybrids
Summary: Bella is struggling with life as a jobless, homeless, and single 22 year old mother but by accident, she meets Edward Cullen, who seems too good to be true. Everything seems temporary at this point, but could he change that? AH some strong lang/lemony.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Jobless

I tried to brush away the tears before my little Kailee could see them. She was already put under so much pressure, pressure a six-year-old girl should never have to carry, and I knew that whenever she saw my tears, it only made it worse for her. She was so much stronger than me, my little Kailee.

But the tears I was crying weren't without reason. Because I'd lost it. Again.

My fifth interview in two weeks for a job, and I got the same answers I've been hearing since I was a seventeen year old mother with a newborn baby girl.

"I'm sorry; all the positions have been filled."

"You're just not what we're looking for."

"If only you had come in sooner."

And today's; my favorite: "A twenty-two year old mother isn't the best for our campaign. What kind of message will that send to young people?"

I sighed and sniffed, running a tissue under my nose as I turned the steering wheel and parked in the driveway in front of Kailee's cheap daycare center. Taking a deep breath, I shut off the engine and tucked a stray piece of hair back behind my ear, which looked like a mess piled on top of my head, held in by my most expensive belongings; topaz encrusted pins. My only nice pair of pantyhose had runs in them up the thigh and the business suit I was wearing was at least a decade old that I'd purchased from a consignment shop for less than five dollars.

I glanced in the rearview mirror of my clunker and swiped away the inexpensive mascara that had started to run a little with my tears.

"Hold you head up, Bella," I told the reflection of my disheartened eyes, which peered back at me with hopelessness.

When I looked back out the scratched windshield of my old vehicle, I saw Kailee's beautiful face beaming at me from behind a wide expanse of dirty glass that was the front window of the house.

I smiled back at her and waved, gathering my things and stepping out of the car. The door creaked as I shut it and I tried not to let the sound add to my worries and dismay as I walked away from it and to the front doors of Black's Daycare Service.

I opened the creaky door of the building and stepped over the threshold. As soon as both of my scruffy, high-heeled feet were in, a pair of pale, thin arms wrapped around my thighs and I looked down to see my little girl hugging me enthusiastically.

"Hi, Momma!" she cried happily as she looked up. I was glad that Kailee didn't look like her father. He'd been my boyfriend, the love of my life, back in high school, but when I called him and told him…about how we had conceived a child…he broke up with me. Never heard a word from him again. I've harbored anger at his indignation and cowardly actions for years and I never asked for child support money from him. Though it would have come in handy sometimes, I wanted to raise Kailee without help from blonde-haired, blue-eyed Mike Newton.

Kailee had her father's big, bright blue eyes, but her hair was as dark as mine and even had the crazy, wavy personality that my hair had been born with. Her lips had my imperfect curve; the bottom lip too full for the top. Her cheeks were round on her cherubic, heart-shaped face, and to me, she was the most beautiful person in the world. I loved her more than life, more than money…more than anything.

"Hey baby, have a good day?" I asked, my voice bright with false cheer as I pried her gently away from my legs and picked her up from under her armpits. I rested her weight on my hip and held onto her tightly.

"Aunt Nessie let me use her art pencils to make you a picture!" she exclaimed, eyes blissful. Though the dreary layer of defeat at losing another shot at a job settled over me heavily, it was easy to shed the weight for a few joyful moments with my little girl looking at me like that.

"Her good art pencils?" I asked, unable to hide my smile. The reason Kailee's daycare was so inexpensive (free) was because my sister, Renesmee, ran it with her part time mechanic husband, Jacob Black. Nessie was two years younger than me and married, and she was an incredible artist, but our parents had never disowned her for teenage pregnancy. She was the only connection I had back to Charlie and Renee, a chief of police and a kindergarten teacher, who seldom even called on mine or Kailee's birthdays.

Kailee nodded ardently. "Yeah! And I made a picture for you!" She started kicking her feet, her signal she always sent me when she wanted me to put her down. I smiled knowingly and slid her down my hip, placing her feet on the floor firmly before I let go. She grabbed my three central fingers in her little grasp tightly and tugged me down the hall. "Come on, Momma!"

A few other children darted in front of Kailee, playing tag and screaming gleefully, giggling as they scribbled on the paper-covered walls with an assortment of crayons. My daughter led me bravely through the mayhem, shouting responses at the little boys and girls that called her name out. I knew some of the kids; for a little extra money, I sometimes helped Nessie run the daycare, and Kailee wasn't the only regular child to attend here.

"Aunt Nessie! Momma's ba_aaaaack_!" Kailee cried as we emerged into the kitchen. Nessie was seated on the floor of the living room—openly connected to the small kitchen—reading to the six or seven kids squished onto a tacky blue-green sofa. All of the children jerked their gazes away from Nessie at Kailee's declaration and my sister twisted her head around to smile at me.

"Hey, Bells," she greeted me warmly. Nessie was, to our parents, the perfect child of the family. She was born with naturally straight white teeth where I'd cost my parents five thousand dollars for braces in my freshman year of high school. She married before having sex, where I'd gotten carried away just once with my one-month boyfriend. She chose a profession that Renee and Charlie adored—art and babysitting—where I was still struggling to find my place in this world, with the added weight of another stomach to worry about on my shoulders. She had a husband who could support her, where I relied all on me, myself, and I. She was beautiful where I was the essence of complete and ordinary average-ness.

"Hey, Ness," I responded with a smile. Even though the rest of my family never kept contact, Nessie and Jacob were two solid people that I could count on, trust, and talk to whenever I needed. Charlie and Renee hadn't been my parents in six years; my sister, her husband, and my little girl were the only three people I considered my family out of all my relatives.

She turned back to the little kids and picked up reading some children's book where she'd left off. Kailee dragged me to the kitchen table—smeared with handprints and splashes of marker colors—where a single picture rested on the wooden top.

"Oh, Kails…you drew this?" I said softly as I slid my finger down the colorful paper.

Kailee nodded confidently. "Yep, Momma."

The picture was the typical little girl drawings you saw in the movies, you know, the ones with the mother holding the daughter's hand, except that Kailee had written—in her own, developing handwriting—"My momma's my best friend because she makes sure that I'm safe all the time".

I felt tears forming in my eyes and I tried blinking them away quickly, but Kailee's eyes were sharp, and she caught them.

"Why are you crying, Momma? Are you sad again?" she asked, her voice desperate as her wide eyes stared up into mine. My little girl knew more grief than she should. With no father and a jobless mother…I prayed to God every night that her life would be better than mine.

I smiled at her as a drop of water escaped and rolled down my cheek. I sat on the pulled out chair and hefted her onto my lap. "No, baby, I'm not sad. I love your picture."

She eyed me hesitantly, but nodded. "You'll hang it on the fridge when we get home?"

I laughed and Eskimo kissed her nose with mine. "Of course!"

She giggled and started to swing her legs again. "I'mma go get my coat."

I shook my head. "I wanted to talk to Aunt Nessie for a little while. You go ahead and play with Caleb and Shayla."

Kailee grinned. "Okay!"

I smiled as I set her back on her feet and watched her take off, running back down the hallway she'd first towed me down, until she was gone from my sight. Then I sighed, propped my elbows on the loved table and cradled my head in my hands.

"That was our project for today."

I looked up from my position to see Nessie sitting down in the chair next to mine, the little ones that had been on the couch rummaging through bins of toys.

"Huh?" I asked, confused, my voice dreary.

She gestured to the picture Kailee had drawn. "We were drawing pictures of our best friends and why they were our best friends. Kailee is much more mature than the other's her age."

I sighed again and dropped my eyes to stare at the messy marker scrawls on the table. "You say that every day."

"It's true, sis. Um…how'd the interview go?" she asked kindly, scooting her chair in closer to mine as she folded her legs in under her.

I bit my lip and looked back up, hoping the tears could wait until tonight when I was alone in my bed and Kailee was fast asleep. I had to be strong now. "No good. They told me that single mothers my age would send a bad message to other young people."

Nessie snorted and reached out to take my limp hand. "They're just jealous, Bella."

I looked into my sister's eyes. "I wished that that was my only problem, Nessie, but it's not."

"Are you falling behind on your payments again? Jake and I can—"

"No, Renesmee, I will not take any more money from you," I cut her off, yanking my hand away.

She frowned. "We don't want you to get into any trouble, Bella."

"Too late," I muttered.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I got another eviction notice today from the landlords," I told her, swallowing the thick emotion in my throat. Just another thing that had put me under too much pressure today.

Nessie groaned and rubbed her face with her hands as the happy screams of toddlers continued to surround us. "Bella…why didn't you tell us you weren't getting your rent paid?"

"I didn't want to have to refuse your money," I snapped lifelessly as she took my hand again.

"Why won't you take it, then, if you're getting so sick of saying no?" she demanded, then her voice grew soft and sad. "Bella, you've lost so much already…I don't want to see you lose Kailee too."

"I won't let that happen," I said, my throat constricting even more at the mere thought. I was nothing without my daughter. If it weren't for her, I would have given up by now, been living on the streets. But she kept me going. If Child Services were to ever tear her from me, not only would there be hell to pay, but I would literally lose all meaning of my life. Nothing was more important than Kailee.

"Yeah, well, it's gonna happen if you don't—"

"Aunt Nessie!" Kailee cried from a room over. "Someone's at the do_ooooor_!"

Nessie sighed and unfolded her legs, standing up. "It's pickup time. But we _will_ talk about this when the kids are gone."

I nodded morosely and went back to cradling my head in my hands. I somehow kept the tears from falling in my ten minutes of silent, hopeless solitude before I felt the familiar touch of my daughter's hand on my leg.

"Momma?" she said quietly.

I lifted my head up and smiled tightly at Kailee. "Yeah, baby?"

"Did you get your job today?"

I hesitated, unsure of how to tell my baby girl that we'd be struggling and striving to live off of scraps of money for another couple weeks since I didn't have a steady income. Her face expectantly and intensely peered into mine as I fumbled in my mind for a way to tell her the bad news.

"Kailee, sometimes things don't work out," I said slowly and deliberately, thinking the words individually before letting them roll off my tongue.

Her eyes started to mist up and my gut twisted with guilt, shame, and agony. "It works for Shayla's momma. It works for Aunt Nessie and Uncle Jake all the time. How come it never works for us, Momma?"

I felt my own eyes start to swell. This wasn't even all the news; I had yet to tell her we had to find another place to live within the next three days. My poor baby girl. She shouldn't have to pay for my mistakes, any of them. I smoothed her hair back and reached up to tuck the same stray piece of hair from earlier into my topaz pins again.

"Oh, baby, I'm so sorry," I murmured as I picked her up and held her tightly. I felt her tears start to make the shirt under my suit jacket salty and wet, though her body wasn't shaking with sobs. "Things will get better," I promised, running my hand through her hair. In truth, I wasn't sure how things were going to turn out—but I promised myself a long time ago that I was going to give Kailee a good life, and that's what I planned to do, no matter how hard it was or how long it took.

I wasn't quite sure how much time had passed. Kailee and I just sat there like that for a long time. I was barely aware of the sound of parents coming and going and children saying their goodbyes to one another; my thoughts were a jumbled mess in my head, it was too hard to concentrate.

"Come on, Kails," a familiar deep voice said, placing a hand on my shoulder and then on my daughter's. "Let's you and I go and play while your momma and Aunt Nessie have a talk, hm?" Jake said, his dark brown eyes looking down at me with sympathy before turning to stare down at my little angel.

Kailee grinned, wiping all traces of tears off her face. "Okay, Uncle Jake! I didn't hear you come in." She said, placing her small hand in his big one as he led her out of the kitchen to go play with whatever toys were scattered around the floor.

Nessie smiled as she passed Jake, but all too soon her calculating eyes were back on me as she moved into the kitchen to make some tea—she'd never been much of a coffee person; only on occasions when she needed the energy boost. "How long?" she asked, fixing the stove and setting the kettle full of water down.

"Ness—"

"_How _long?" she repeated more firmly, turning to stare at me. I looked down at my hands, ashamed to have kept a secret from her. Being one of the few family I had, I told Nessie just about everything; but she had to understand that this…with the way things were going—I _had _to keep this a secret. I can't keep relying on her and Jake when they had to worry about themselves. Especially with the way the economy was going…

I sighed, letting out a long breath. "A while," I mumbled.

Nessie sighed, sitting down across from me, pulling her reddish/brown bangs back with her hands as she stared at the table top. "This is terrible, Bells…" she murmured, shaking her head slowly. She sounded close to tears. "And you wouldn't tell me what was going on…"

I shook my head, reaching out to take on her hands in my own. "Ness, you listen to me." I said firmly, squeezing her hand. "This is my trouble—not yours. I've already taken so much from you and Jake—I might never be able to pay you back for everything that the two of you have done. I can't keep relying on the two of you to pull me out whenever I need you to."

"Bells, we're not doing this because we feel we have to. We _want _to. Your family—_and _our best friend!" she said, looking at me with tears welling up in her brown eyes, squeezing my hand back. "We want to see that you and Kailee are safe—hell, if we could, we'd have the two of you move in with us so we weren't so damn worried all the time!" she said.

I smiled sadly. "I appreciate it, Ness. I do, really. But I have to do all of this on my own." I said.

"You're not invincible, you know." She said, pulling her hand away from mine as the kettle started to whistle. "You can't do _everything _on your own. Haven't you always told me that it's okay to ask for help? Bella, this is your life we're talking about." She said, whirling around to face me once more. "And not just _your _life—Kailee's, too!" she said, keeping her voice low so Jake and Kailee wouldn't hear from the playroom.

"You think I don't know that?" I said, getting up from my seat at the kitchen table, staring at her with a look of disbelief and anger. "Kailee is the reason I keep trying, Ness. She's the reason I'm working so hard—because I want to provide for her. I don't have the luxuries you have! I don't have a permanent home. I don't have a husband to help take care of things."

Nessie frowned at me. "I know you don't."

"You sound like you don't know." I snapped.

"How can I send you back out there if I'm only going to be in my bed, wide awake with worry, hm?" she asked, pushing past me to get the tea bags and the cups from the cabinet. "I can't _not _worry about the two of you—all alone in that crappy apartment in the crappiest part of Seattle with no one to protect you…Wasn't some woman in your apartment just robbed three weeks ago? What if that ends up being the two of you next, only you're not just robbed? How do you think I'll feel then?" she exploded, forgetting all about the tea.

"I know that too!" I shouted right back. "I live in constant worry that something's going to happen and everything I'm trying to do right for my daughter is gonna go wrong and we're both gonna be miserable for the rest of our lives!" I said, feeling the anger well up in me. "I can't get a job to save my ass, I'm probably going to end up homeless here, and worst of all—they're probably going to take my daughter away because I'm not a good enough mother! You don't think that keeps me up at night?"

"You should've asked for the money!" Nessie exclaimed. "It would've taken some of the stress off your mind! It would've taken some of the stress off of all our minds! You're not the only one who goes crazy when something bad happens, Bella." She said. "Jake knows, I know—for God's sake, Kailee knows! You have to let us help you." She was pleading now.

I shook my head, covering my eyes with my hands to keep from crying. "That's not how this is supposed to go." I said quietly. "I should have everything all ready and planned out and prepared and secure. I should have a house, a job. I should be able to provide for my daughter. It shouldn't be like this…"

Nessie wrapped her arms around me. "Oh, Bella…" she murmured. "Oh, Bella, I'm so sorry…I shouldn't have yelled at you—this isn't how I wanted this to work out."

"But it is, Ness." I said, pushing away from her and wiping my eyes. "And that's how it's going to be until I do something to make it better." I told her.

"Uh, guys?" Jake asked, stepping into the kitchen. "I know this is conversation is important—all your conversations usually are—and you know how I hate to interrupt them and stuff—"

"Get to the point, Jake," Nessie sighed, an adoring look in her eyes.

"Erm…Kailee's puking in the fern pot."

"_What_?"

I moaned. "Oh, God…"

Quickly, we forgot our conversation and focused on the most important thing at hand now; Kailee. Hurrying out of the kitchen, we moved into the living room. Kailee was lying on the floor, shivering and all curled up. I couldn't see it but I could smell it, and I knew whatever she'd eaten for lunch was sitting in the fern pot.

I rushed over, ignoring the bitter essence a la puke as I picked my baby up. "Kailee, baby, are you okay?" I asked, grabbing a tissue to wipe the corners of her mouth. I pressed the back of my hand to her forehead. "Sweetie, you're burning up."

She sniffled, still shivering in my arms as she reached up to brush her bangs out of her face. "My tummy hurts, Momma." She mumbled, looking paler than normal.

"Why didn't you say something, Kailee?" Nessie said as Jake carried the fern pot out of the room—no doubt to toss it. What good would it be with puke inside of it?

"I thought it was just a tummy ache—like you and Momma get." She said.

We both cringed, knowing she was talking about the cramps we got once a month. For four long, painful days that seemed to never end. Getting pregnant at sixteen had few benefits, but those nine months of zero, painful bloating sure felt like heaven.

"Oh, no," I said, helping her sit up. "Kailee, you might have that twenty-four hour stomach flu going around. Oh, Kailee. You should've said something to me," I said, picking her up and carrying her over to the couch.

"I'm sorry, Momma." Kailee sniffled, tears welling up in her eyes as Nessie pulled a blanket over her. "Are you mad?" she whispered.

I smiled, pushing her bangs out of her face. "Never," I replied, kissing her forehead before turning back to Jake and Nessie. "I'm gonna run to the store—get some cold medicine. Would you mind watching her for me until I get back?"

Nessie shook her head, smiling. "Not at all," she said.

Jacob nodded, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "We'll be fine, Bells. We deal with kids every day." He said with a wink. "One little monster is nothing." He said teasingly to Kailee, who gave him a weak smile before closing her eyes.

"Thank you," I said. "Be good, Kailee. I'll be back real soon, okay?"

"Bye, Momma." She mumbled.

"Oh, shoot. Bella," Nessie said, hurrying into the kitchen, "while you're out, you wouldn't mind picking up some more kids medicine for me, would you? Anything will do, really." She said, coming out with her purse and reaching into her wallet for some money. "Just get anything and everything—kids Tylenol, ibuprofen, whatever." She said, handing me forty dollars.

I nodded, shoving it into my own purse. "Okay. Bye, Kailee!" I said before hurrying out the door, fumbling through my purse for my keys.

*

"Dammit, dammit, no, no, _no_," I chanted to myself angrily as the engine sputtered and died with the flick of my wrist as I tried starting it for the twentieth time in five minutes. The only noise that I could hear in my car was the relentless pounding of rain on my windshield and it abruptly vexed me. I banged on the steering wheel, forcefully spitting out a choice four lettered word that my very sick little girl would be scolding me about if she were to be sitting next to me right now.

Shoot. Kailee.

"_No, no, no_!" I yelled at my piece of crap car, slapping the wheel a final time before slumping back against my seat with a frustrated half-shriek. My poor baby was probably in so much pain right now, and here I was, ten minutes drive from the day care with dusk falling in a bad part of Seattle, with a vehicle that I depend my life on.

It had taken fifteen minutes alone just to find the right medicine for Kailee, then I had to pick up the several bottles for Nessie, and then _of course_ the check out register had to be longer than usual. My typical luck. Hell, I'd gotten an eviction notice today and lost my shot at a job that I'd have excelled in. I should have known that my car was going to break-down. It was older than _Charlie_, which said something, so why was this such a surprise?

Oh, wait; it wasn't.

I groaned with frustration as I calculated my possible options.

One; I could just grab the bag of medicine and walk the distance back to Nessie and Jake's. It wouldn't be such a long hike, but I was still in my heels from the interview and this was my only good business suit. Besides, walking around this part of Seattle after four o'clock in the afternoon in winter wasn't such a great idea. You know, unless you wanted to get mugged or something.

Two; I could go back into the store and ask for some help. It wouldn't take much, I'd just ask someone if they could give a perfectly stressed out stranger a ride to a child's daycare center with a bag-full of medicine. Well, that's not suspicious at all.

Three; I could flag someone down in the street. Taxi's rarely come this way, but maybe there would be a kind person? Of course, it would be my luck to end up attracting some freaks attention, where I'm dragged off to their lair, raped, and left for dead. And on top of everything else that has happened today, that's the last thing I need.

Honestly, none of these options were very appealing, but Kailee was in dire need of some flu medicine, and I had to get it to her as fast as possible. I decided that I would go with Option 2, but if my search was fruitless, I'd be stuck with 3. There was no way I was walking alone to the daycare; that's just asking for trouble.

With a frustrated, disheartened sigh, I shoved my door open, trying to avoid the stickiness that sometimes glued it shut no matter how much I pushed on it. But it swung freely this time, having zero inertia, and I grimaced as a person who had been walking by got the full force of the door in the crotch.

When the person grunted and dropped their bags, staggering back and to the side, I realized that this innocent bystander was a man.

"Oh…God…I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed as I jumped out of my car and slammed the door shut again, standing in the pouring rain with my hood around my shoulders. "I didn't see you there! Oh my God! Are you okay?"

I really never had good experiences with men, obviously. My first boyfriend got me knocked up then ditched and my dad threw me out into the streets at the ripe old age of seventeen. There were other instances like the sexist men who interviewed me for my countless attempts at finding a job, or the boys who teased me all through my last two years of high school because I was a mother. I didn't hate them, but I'd never met any who could give me hope. Not one.

The man I'd whacked was leaning against my car, his leg pressed against it as he tried to straighten. Even over the loud rain, I could hear him drag in a breath. "If you give me a minute, I'll be fine."

"God, I'm sorry," I apologized loudly.

It was dark in the parking lot, but the drugstore lights burned through the windows behind him, only dampened by the rain. He could see my guilt-ridden, embarrassed face, but I was glad I couldn't see the pain on his.

After another moment or two, he straightened up completely with a short little grunt. "I'm fine."

I frowned. "Are you sure? I'm such a klutz; I can, you know, pay for…um, damage?"

He barked out a laugh, and I felt my high-school instincts take over, making me blush at the sound. "No, no, I don't want to take any of your money," he chuckled as he patted my vehicle's hood a couple times. "And no worries; no damage. At least, not permanent damage." He laughed again.

"I'm still sorry," I told him. "Need any ibuprofen? I have a ton in my car if you—"

"Really, miss," he replied, a smile in his voice—which I now realized was alluring and warm, smooth like butter—over the rain, "I'm fine."

I nodded slowly. "Uhm, okay then."

"Thanks though." He bent down and picked his plastic bags back up, shaking them slightly to dispel any rain—pointless since it was coming down so hard. I flattened my back against my car to give him room to pass me in the small space between my vehicle and the van parked next to me, biting my lip when his body brushed against mine lightly.

As he started to walk away, it suddenly hit me that I realized he wasn't some creepy old man, and that I still needed a ride back to Nessie and Jake's.

"Wait!" I called out. The man turned and as the light fell on his face, I felt my expression become even more embarrassed. He looked like the kind of man with a high-paying job, with a perfect, blonde haired girlfriend or wife, with a family that raised him with love and discipline. His dark copper hair was pasted to his forehead from the rain and the light shone off his emerald eyes. His eyebrows were posed in a puzzled expression, but his full lips were quirked to the side slightly, as if they were ready to give way to a smile.

"Did I drop something?" he called. His voice was suddenly even more appealing than before.

I bit my lip again. "No, but, um…" How was I supposed to ask him for a ride to a strange part of town after shoving my door in his sensitive area and making a fool of myself for offering to pay for 'damage'? Ugh, it sounded ten times worse when I replayed the question back in my head.

"Yeah?" he asked after a few moments.

I took in a deep breath, practically drinking in the water with it. "My car is—"

"You need a ride," he said, grinning crookedly at me. It wasn't a question; it was a statement.

I nodded shamefully. "Could you…?"

He gestured with his head for me to follow him. "I'm over here."

I let out a breath of relief and reopened my car door, reaching in to pull the keys out of the ignition and grab the bag loaded with medicine. Then, I shut the door and locked the piece of crap up. I turned on my heel and followed the man to his car, which he was already sitting in. I opened the passenger side door hesitantly and slid in.

He looked at me as I put my seat belt on and smiled. "Where to?"

* * *

**Taylor: **_OMG! Nicole and I are starting a new story! We're so pumped, so excited that it's not even funny. Lol. I guess I don't have much to say except tell us if you hate it or love it. Because I want to know how you like this idea. We both do. Come back for more!_

**Nicole:** _Hmm…she basically took the words right out of my mouth. Haha, anyway, this was Taylor's brilliant idea, and I must say, I was quite honored when she asked me to write it with her. I'm so excited to see how this story will progress—and I hope that whoever reads this will be too. So, leave a review and tell us what you think so far. Peace out, dawgs. _xD


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

The Kind Stranger

I was beyond the point of anxiety by the time he pulled up in front of Nessie and Jake's place. How was Kailee? Had her fever gotten worse? My poor baby was probably crying out for me, and I wasn't even there for her. My heart clenched in my chest at the thought of my daughter lying there, in so much pain, calling for me—and I wasn't there to help ease it away.

It helped to have the nice stranger there to take my mind off of Kailee every once in a while. He would ask about my daughter, ask about me, he even asked about Nessie and Jake. I was more than happy to tell him all about our misadventures at the daycare. But I loved telling him about my little Kailee…

My beautiful baby…

Who was lying sick in my sister's house…

"Thank you," I said to the beautiful stranger as I grabbed my plastic bag full of medicine and pulled the hood of my jacket over my hair. "I don't even know your name…" I said, fumbling through my purse for my wallet.

"Edward," he said with a smile that made me blush like a school girl. "Edward Cullen," he said as I pulled out my wallet.

"Thank you for helping me, Edward Cullen." I said, holding out the only bill I had in my wallet—a wrinkled and faded five.

He shook his head politely. "Keep it," he said.

I frowned. "But I insist!" I said, holding it out towards him. "It's the least I can do—I know it's not much, but…I don't know, you could use it for gas or something." It would make me feel a little better about having him go out of his way to help me get back to my sick little girl lying inside my sister and her husband's apartment.

Edward shook his head at me again, looking a little amused. "It's fine…?"

"Bella…Swan," I said.

"Bella, I don't need you to pay me for helping you." He chuckled, his emerald eyes sparkling in the dim glow of the dashboard. "Besides, I'd do anything for a beautiful woman, no fee," he said with a grin.

I blushed at his words. Beautiful? I was a single, twenty-two year old mother wearing clothes from a thrift shop. There was no way I could even come remotely _close _to being beautiful. But I didn't say anything; just stared at him with wide eyes and trying not to look like a retarded fish. "I…well, thank you, Edward. But, please. I insist—"

He surprised me by closing my hand over the bill. "Keep it, Bella. I don't need you to pay me for helping you out." He said, his voice as smooth as velvet and making my body feel about a million degrees warmer—a got a tingly feeling all the way down my spine to my toes; something I never felt before. "If you don't hurry, your daughter might get worse," he said seriously.

"Oh…Oh! God, Kailee!" I gasped, shoving the bill back in my wallet and throwing my wallet into my purse. "Thank you, Edward! I can't thank you enough!" I said before running towards the house. I fumbled with the key they'd given me and pushed through the front door. "I'm back!" I called, kicking off my heels as I slipped and slid into the house.

"Oh, good!" Nessie said happily—talking quieter than usual. "She's sleeping. I gave her what little medicine we had left. She went out like a light," she said.

I nodded, shrugging out of my coat and hanging it up against the back of a chair as I followed her into the kitchen, setting the bag down on the table. "How is she?" I asked, helping her sort through the medicine and put them away in the cabinet.

Nessie shrugged. "Her fever's dropping thanks to the medicine," she said. "But you might be right—it's probably that twenty-four hour bug. At least, I hope it is. God, that poor kid," she sighed, shaking her head. "She'll be in so much pain the rest of today and tomorrow." She said, putting away the last of the medicine.

"Where's Jake?" I asked.

"Oh, crap. That reminds me," she said, hurrying towards the phone. She dialed a familiar number and stood with her back to me in silence for a couple seconds. "Oh, good! You answered! Bella's back," she said. Pause. "No, she came home in one piece—more worried about Kailee than anything." Pause. "Just come on home, Jake. Okay, love you too. Be careful! Bye," she said before hanging up.

Nessie was so lucky. Was it wrong for me to be jealous of my little sister for having the life I couldn't have? True, I was the one who screwed it all up…but Nessie didn't have a child—she had the kids she took care of. I had Kailee…and I wouldn't trade the world for her. Still; I wished I could support her better.

"That reminds me, Bella. I didn't hear your car pull up—and that engine sounds worse than Gumpy when he slept." She said, chuckling.

I chuckled, remembering the days when we used to go to our grandparents house in the summer and how grandpa could sleep through anything…he was louder than the blender! God bless him. The summer before I got pregnant with Kailee, Nessie and I were over and he decided to take a little nap. He started snoring louder than hell, and then…it just stopped.

"I miss him," Nessie said after a moment of silent reminiscing.

I sighed, shaking my head. "Good old Gumpy," I chuckled.

Nessie sighed. "You ever wonder what it would be like if he were still here?" she asked, setting her hands down on the counter and staring out the window over the sink as the rain splattered against the glass. "Sure, he didn't like the whole idea of teen pregnancy—but he would've done something to help, don't you think?" she asked. "He would've argued with Mom and Dad—you would've still been living at home. And if that didn't work, he and Gran would've kept you in the attic." She chuckled.

I smiled. "I don't think so, Ness. I think they would've given me a little cash and then pushed me on my way and prayed for me." I said.

She shook her head. "You're so negative."

"It's the way the world works, Ness," I shrugged. "They were old—they couldn't watch out for me and my baby. I'd drive them crazy and vice versa. Can you imagine how it would've been like—me living with Gumpy and Gran? Kailee would be up crying all night because of Gumpy's snores." I chuckled.

Nessie snorted. "Touché," she said. "I wonder how Gran got over the snoring…"

I shrugged. "I remember lying awake at night and wondering the same thing. I'm surprised we wouldn't wake up one morning and find out that Gumpy'd suffocated himself with his pillow or something." I said, to which the two of us started laughing.

We were brought back to reality when Kailee started moaning.

I grabbed the medicine off the table and hurried into the living room, Nessie hot on my heels. "Kailee, baby, are you okay?" I asked, crouching down beside her.

"My tummy hurts, Momma." Kailee grumbled. "I feel sick, and I'm so…cold," she said, body shaking all over. I frowned as I pushed her bangs out of her unnaturally pale face. She moaned, squeezing her eyes shut tight.

My heart went out to her. "Kailee, sweetheart—take some more medicine. I know it tastes yucky, but it will help you get better really fast." I said, fumbling with the medicine cap. "Please, baby," I said when she made a face. "It'll make Momma feel better to know that you're getting better." I said.

She nodded slowly. "Okay, Momma." She said as I helped her sit up. I quickly poured some of the medicine into the supplied plastic measuring cup and handed it to her. She stared at it with disgust before plugging her nose and chugging it. Then she unplugged her nose and made a face. "Blech!" she cried in disgust.

I laughed slightly as I helped her lie back down on the couch and tucked the blankets around her.

"Ness, I thought you said Bella was ba—oh, she is back." Jake said, walking into the living room and looking worse than a wet dog. "Hey, Bella. Where's your car?"

"Oh my God! Someone _stole _it?" Nessie cried, running to stare out the window.

"No, it's not stolen—"

"I don't see it in the drive way!" Nessie cried.

I sighed. "Jake, you're gonna have to go to the store and pick it up tomorrow or something. The engine just died on me. I had to get a ride from someone." I said dismissively as Kailee dropped back into sleep.

Nessie stared at me with a look of horror on her face while Jake hurried to leave the room so he wouldn't have to be caught in the middle. I knew there was a reason Nessie married him. Smart man. "You…you got a ride? With a _stranger _in this part of town?" She looked pale.

I bit my lip and turned away from Kailee, leading my sister back into the kitchen before she could wake up my baby. "Yeah, I did."

"Bella, that's just asking, no, _begging_ to be victimized. Man or woman?" she demanded crossly.

I sat down at the table with a heavy sigh and scratched an itchy spot on the side of my leg without meeting Nessie's infuriated gaze. For being my younger sister of two years, the woman sure knew how to make me rueful. "Man."

She sat down across from me and continued to glare. "How old?"

I looked up at her and shrugged. "Um…couldn't be older than twenty eight, I'd guess."

"Did he look sleezy?"

I gritted my teeth together and slammed my fist on the table, turning my eyes to glare at her. "Jesus, Ness. Do I look like I was molested? It was just a man who kindly offered me a ride! Why are you so goddamn bent on yelling at me today?!"

She tensed. "Is it my fault you give me so much reason to worry?! You're my older sister, Bella! You were kicked out of the house and left me with Charlie and Renee when I was freaking fourteen years old! It was years before I actually saw your face again, and you had a four year old daughter. You're always tight on money, moving from temporary home to temporary home, with no job whatsoever. You hate accepting any help from me or Jake, and sometimes I'm honestly, truly scared for you. Dammit, is it so wrong for me to care?!"

I stared at her, shocked. "I still don't understand why you think my problems need to be yours too, Ness."

She sighed tiredly and rubbed her temples, eyes shut. "Just tell me if he was sleezy or not."

I shook my head, though she couldn't see it. "No. My car wouldn't start, so I swung the door open—and you know how it sticks sometimes—and I didn't see him, but I hit him…well, you know where, as he was walking by."

She snorted on a sudden and unexpected laugh. "A guy gave you a ride because you smashed your crap car's door against his balls?"

I laughed with her, finding that I felt better, laughing with my sister. My best friend. "I guess so. He was walking away after a few moments and I asked then. He wouldn't let me pay him either, even though I'm sure coming here was _way_ out of his way."

Her eyes became curious. "Ooh. Young and generous. Was he cute?"

I thought about it for a moment and my lips involuntary curled into a smile. Cute was not the right word for it. He'd been gorgeous, of course, with his carefully uncombed hair, bright green eyes, and crooked smile, all plastered on blemish-free skin that stretched over a flawless, sharp bone structure. Someone with obvious money, by the uniformity of designer clothing and the shiny silver Volvo he'd driven.

"He was…hot," I finally allowed, grinning at Nessie.

Her interest heightened and she grinned back, looking like an excited school girl. "Did you get his name?"

"Edward," I recalled perfectly and without hesitation. That beautiful, compassionate stranger. "Edward Cullen."

"Oh, geez Bella, even his name is hot," she swooned, fanning herself with her hand. I laughed as I saw Jake enter the room past her shoulder, his eyes nailed on his wife with half a smile. Amused.

"I know you're talking about my name, baby," he said, making Nessie jump in her chair.

"Oh God!" she exclaimed as she whirled around to see Jake leaning against the counter, grinning. She smiled sweetly after a swift recovery from the surprise and went to him. "Of course, sweetie."

He chuckled and wrapped her in his arms. "I knew it."

I watched them adoringly, so glad that the two had each other, yet the pang of emptiness that hit me whenever I saw their affections wavered through me and my smile faded. I wanted a love like theirs so badly; it had been all I ever dreamed about as a pre-pregnant high school girl. I'd seen so many movies and read so many books that portrayed the kind of whirlwind romance that I desired more than anything in the world.

Of course, even though I was in my prime years, I had a daughter. A six year old daughter named Kailee, at that. I was jobless, almost homeless again, and apparently, I was without a vehicle now too. Why in the hell would anyone want to have to clean up that sort of mess, all just for someone like me? Sometimes, I wondered if I would be worth more dead.

I sighed as Jake bent down, Nessie still in his arms, to give her a chaste kiss, crushing his lips against hers quickly and passionately. I took this as my cue to leave.

"Mind if I borrow the car, Ness? I'd better get Kailee home," I said just loud enough to claim her attention.

"Not at all. The keys are in the ignition. But you know you can stay the ni—"

I looked at Jake who was practically pleading with me by eye contact. I laughed inwardly at his impatience to have me and Kailee out of his house so he could be alone with Nessie and I shook my head.

"No, Ness. I don't want to spoil your evening." I grinned wickedly as I went to pick up my baby. "You kids have fun now. Don't make too much noise; the police will be called in again."

Nessie blushed as Jake chuckled and kissed his wife's temple. "It was our first time, Bella," Nessie insisted, embarrassed that I'd brought up the unmentionable humiliation; the event that her and Jake had experienced the night before their wedding, when they'd been two very, very happy people, who were very much in love. "I didn't expect to—"

I held up my hand to stop her just before I scooped Kailee's sleeping body into my arms. "Whoa, Renesmee, I don't need to hear the details."

"Don't worry, Bells," Jake assured me, "I know how to keep her quiet."

"You know how to make me scream too," she pointed out bluntly with a grin.

I shuddered and quickened my pace. "Leaving _now_."

The quiet laughter of both Nessie and Jake followed me out to the garage until I kicked the door shut behind me and went to Nessie's Prius. I buckled Kailee in without waking her up successfully and slid into the driver's side of the car. I smiled at my baby's sleeping form in my rearview mirror before adjusting it, starting the engine, opening the garage door, and backing out.

As I left the driveway, the lights of the house went out.

*

I felt the warm slants of rare, late afternoon sunlight streaking through the dusty blinds and falling on my face. I smiled at the heat and rolled over in my bed, opening my eyes to look at Kailee, sleeping still beside me.

I hadn't actually gone to bed until five that morning because Kailee had woken up, crying and moaning the minute we walked over the threshold around eight. She'd fallen back asleep finally around four when her 'tummy stopped hurting'.

I lifted a hand and brushed away her wild, wavy hair from her face, smiling at her plump, beautiful features. She was going to be a knock-out when she was older, I could tell now. I wondered briefly if she would ever fall for a boy in high school and I frowned slightly at the thought. Well, whatever she did with a boy, it would not be without my supervision. I was not going to allow her to make the same mistakes I did, even if I was blessed with her through those mess ups.

Kailee stirred under my touch and her blue eyes found my face the second she opened them. "Hi, Momma," she croaked.

I smoothed her hair back again. "Hey, baby," I smiled. "You feeling any better?"

She nodded and scooted towards me, snuggling into my neck and arms. "Yeah."

I hugged her closely to me and kissed the top of her head, cuddling her against me. My little Kailee. She was getting so big already, going on six years and seven months. "Don't worry, Kailee. It'll all be over by tomorrow." I said. "Here, sit still for a minute, Kailee." I said, grabbing the thermometer from my bedside table.

It was a nice little gizmo—something Nessie and Jake got for me as one of my Christmas presents last year because my other one broke. It was the kind you could just swipe across a person's forehead.

Gently, I moved it across Kailee's forehead. I frowned when I saw that her fever had only gone down a little bit.

"I'll go and get some medicine, okay, Kails?" I said, climbing off the bed and setting the thermometer back down on the bedside table.

"'Kay, Momma." Kailee said before snuggling up back under the covers.

I smiled before, reluctantly, leaving the room. The second I shut the door behind me, I looked at our empty living room and reality crashed back into me. I was being evicted—I had to be out of here in three days. Kailee and I wouldn't have a home.

_Oh my God, _I thought, rubbing my forehead as I walked into the kitchen to get the medicine for Kailee. What was I going to do? I mean, sure. I could move in with Nessie and Jake temporarily—but I didn't want to be any more of a bother to them.

I sighed as I poured the purple liquid into a measuring cup for Kailee. I guess I better start packing today. I'm sure Ness wouldn't mind if we moved in for a few more days? I'd have to ask when I brought back her car.

"Here, you go, baby. Drink it all up," I said, handing her the medicine. She sniffed it and made a face. I laughed as I watched her chug it all down anyway. "That's good," I said, smoothing out her hair as I set the plastic cup on the bedside table.

"I don't feel good, Momma." Kailee groaned as I lay down beside her.

I tried to smile as I ran my hand through her hair. "I know you don't, baby. I'm so sorry." I said, holding her close to me. "It'll be okay now. I promise," I said. I wasn't sure if I meant to reassure her or both of us.

*

"Ness-IE!" I hollered, barging into my sister and her husband's house without knocking—as was the bad habit of mine that Kailee so often reprimanded me about—and cradling my poor baby in my arms as I ran into their house. "Could you watch Kailee for me for a little while? I need to get everything moved out of—you have company."

Standing with my sister and Jake was a small woman—shorter than me. She was beautiful, petite with a curvaceous frame. Her innocent heart-shaped face and wide green eyes were framed by black hair styled in a pixie-cut. Standing beside her was a little girl with curly blond hair pulled into pigtails with pink bows. She wore a cute pink dress with white leggings and pink shoes. Like the woman whose hand she held, she had wide eyes the color of grass and she kept her hand balled up in a fist, her thumb in her mouth.

Nessie smiled. "Bella!" she said happily. "This is Mary Alice Whitlock. She wishes to enroll her daughter, Melanie, in the daycare." She said. "Mrs. Whitlock, this is my sister, Bella and her daughter, Kailee." Nessie said.

"Alice," the beautiful woman said—her voice twinkled, sounding like wind chimes playing a beautiful melody—as she held out her hand to me. I shook it.

"It's nice to meet you," I said with a smile. There was a friendly air around her; I liked her instantly. She seemed so nice. "Your daughter is very beautiful," I said, smiling down at who I guessed was Melanie. The small girl gripped her mother's hand tightly, still sucking on her thumb as she moved in closer.

Alice chuckled. "Thank you," she said before peering around me to see Kailee, she gave me a sympathetic smile. "Is it that stomach bug?" I nodded. She sighed, shaking her head. "Melanie had it last week. Now my oldest—Olivia—is home sick with it. But Daddy's taking good care of her, isn't he, Mellie?" Alice said to her youngest.

Melanie just nodded once, now mostly hiding behind her mother as she stared up at me, her thumb still held between her lips. Her wide green eyes widened—if at all possible—as they stared up at me with the familiar childlike curiosity. She was so cute!

"Your daughter would love it at the daycare," I said to Alice with a warm and friendly and honest-to-God smile. "I've seen the kids in action. They play outside in the backyard, they have dress up games inside, they have art classes…it's amazing what my sister and brother-in-law do." I said.

"It seems so nice." Alice said with a smile. "It definitely seems like something I would love to send Melanie to."

"Melanie was here for a whole day to interact with the other kids and see if she would like to come here." Nessie explained.

I nodded and bent down so I was level with Melanie. "And did you like it here?" I asked quietly, as if I were sharing a secret that only the two of us could share.

I only expected her to nod, like she had earlier. I was surprised when she pulled her thumb out of her mouth with a _pop _and gave me a very cute, toothy grin. "Yes!" she said loudly. "I like it _vewy _much!" she said. Even her voice was adorable!

"That's good!" I said, clapping my hands enthusiastically before standing up to my normal height. "I think you have yourself an answer!" I said to Alice.

She smiled. "Yes, I think I do." She said.

There was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Jake said, removing his arm from around Nessie's shoulders as he went to answer the door.

I turned back to Kailee, who was snuggled up closely to the couch, gripping the blankets tightly around herself as she tried to sleep. She looked so pale, so miserable. I wanted to take all of her pain and misery away and put it on myself. I wished I could, so simply like that. My poor baby; my poor, sweet, adorably baby…

I felt like the worst mother in the world.

"Alice, are you ready?" a familiar velvety voice asked.

I froze in the middle of pushing Kailee's bangs out of her face.

"Oh, yes. Sorry, Edward. Were you waiting long?" Alice asked. I heard the faint sound of little feet padding across the floor as Melanie ran to the familiar stranger whom I'd met just the day before.

I turned, standing up from my spot on the couch next to Kailee and looked at Edward. Sure enough, he was the exact same man who'd given me a ride yesterday. He scooped Melanie into his arms just as she was about to collide with his legs.

"Hey, you!" he greeted her with a dazzling grin. "Did you have fun today?"

He was married. I knew it! Of course, in my imagination, his wife had been tall and blond. But Alice was still dazzlingly beautiful. Green eyes and black hair as night as a dark sky…And he had a daughter. A cute, adorable, amazing little daughter.

Damn.

"I had _so_ much fun today! I played in the sandbox with Miss Nessie. Mr. Jake helped me with my pretty picture for Olivia." Melanie chattered away.

I sighed. At least he was happy. I was happy too, right? I had Kailee, and Nessie and Jake. They were my family—they were my happiness. I lived for them, and I would die for them. I was perfectly content with my life—if only I could get a job and keep a home for a while longer…

Edward—the mysterious stranger from the night before—looked up, his green eyes catching my brown ones. I found it hard to look away. He smiled at me, a crooked smile that made my heart freeze up before going into overdrive. "Bella, funny running into you here," he said, shifting Melanie in his arms.

I raised an eyebrow, smiling inwardly that he remembered my name. "Funny? You gave me a ride here last night." I said, feeling a bit weird discussing this in front of his wife. Did she already know? I chanced a glance over at her. She was looking at him, a perfectly plucked and arched eyebrow raised. I guess she didn't…

He chuckled. "I guess I did, didn't I." He said. "I hope you don't mind. My sister was looking for a daycare to send Melanie to—she and Jasper just moved to Seattle with their daughters. Running into you and finding out that your sister owned a daycare was luck for us." He said.

"Oh, well…I'm glad I could help." I said. "Did you say Alice was your sister?" I asked, just for clarification. I wasn't sure I'd heard right. Maybe I was just imagining things for my own benefit?

Edward chuckled. "Yes, I did." He said. "Melanie's my niece." He said. "How's your daughter—you said her name was Kailee, right?"

I nodded, amazed that he even remembered; first mine then hers. "Yes…" I said. "She's…" I cleared my throat, "she's getting a little bit better." I said, noticing that the others were leaving the room. Even Melanie was walking out with her mother to another room, leaving Edward and I alone in a room. "Thank you for asking." I said.

He nodded. "Have you gotten your car back yet?"

"I…no," I said, feeling suddenly embarrassed. "Um…my brother-in-law is supposed to take me to fix it himself. He repairs cars for a living, besides the daycare, that is." I said. "Excuse me, I need to talk with my sister. I'll go get your sister for you." I said before hurrying out of the living room.

Nessie and Alice had been talking quietly to themselves. All chatter ceased when I walked into the kitchen. Nessie smiled when she saw me. "Hey, Bells. What's up?" she asked calmly.

I smiled at Alice. "Your brother's waiting for you in the living room."

"Yes. Thank you," Alice said with a smile before walking—more like dancing—out of the kitchen. She was just that graceful. I envied her.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Nessie asked, walking towards me as I leaned against the kitchen counter for support.

"He's…he's the guy who gave me the ride back here." I said.

Nessie nodded. "So I heard," she said. "I'm impressed, Bells—he's one fine piece of man." She said, raising her eyebrows suggestively. I rolled my eyes and gave her a playful shove. She laughed. "What? I can still have a little fun with my sister." She said.

"But you're _married_."

She scoffed, rolling her brown eyes. "I'll _always _be faithful to Jake." She said with a smile, staring past me as she thought of, no doubt, her husband. "Nothing will ever change that. I love him with every fiber of my being." She said dreamily.

I sighed.

I was happy for Nessie and everything, I just wished she wouldn't brag about having the things I didn't. But I should be happy, right? I had Kailee. Kailee was my little girl, my angel, my support beam. I kept going because of her. This was for her. For her, I had to remember that.

Nessie shook herself out of whatever fantasy she was having and turned her attention back to me. "My point is, Bella," she said quietly so the others in the living room wouldn't hear us talk amongst ourselves, "he's perfect for you. He's single, he's handsome, he's nice—"

"You don't even know that much about him," I replied quietly, rolling my eyes at her as I moved over to take a seat at the kitchen table.

"Oh, Bella," she sighed. "Not all men are assholes like Mike Newton. You know that, don't you?" she said with a sympathetic smile as she placed her hand over mine on the table. "Besides, there are still lots of people who love you. Gran's still waiting for you to visit." She said. "She's getting older, B. You should take Kailee to meet her great grandma one day."

"Soon, I promise." I said, placing my other hand over the one she had over mine. "Right now, I need to talk to you about temporarily moving in with you and Jake until I can find another cheap apartment." I said.

Nessie groaned. "Bella, why don't you just move in with us?" she asked, plopping down in the seat beside me, never releasing her hold on my hands. "Really, it's not a problem if you and Kailee do. There's the spare bedroom right down the hall from us—"

I sighed. "I just want to do this temporarily, Ness. I don't want to keep depending on you and Jake for the rest of my life. What kind of an influence would that be for Kailee?" I said.

Silence passed between us. It was long and quiet. I could feel Nessie's annoyance radiating off of her towards me, but I ignored it. I was bent on making this is _temporary _arrangement.

I expected my sister to start something. She usually never let things go without a fight/argument. But, to my surprise, Nessie just smiled and nodded before getting up from her seat. I was shocked for a moment, but then I started thinking. Was this a new way for her to deal with me saying no?

Was she going to bottle it up inside like I did and then cry about it at night when she thought no one was listening?

"Nessie?" I called.

She didn't come back.

I sighed and stood up from my seat. I nearly collided with Edward at the entry to the kitchen. "Oh, jeez," I gasped as I took a step back away from him. "Sorry, I was just going to find my sister."

"Actually, Bella, I'd like to talk to you—if that's alright." He said.

I swallowed hard over the lump in my throat, feeling suddenly weak in the knees as I stared into his green eyes—eyes as green as emeralds, darker than his sister's. My stomach flipped, as if it were on a roller coaster. My heart squeezed in my chest. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks as inappropriate images raced through my mind. _Fine piece of man_ was an understatement.

"I…um…yeah, sure," I mumbled, moving back towards the table and taking a seat. He sat down across from me. "So…what did you want to talk to me about?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound as bad as I felt.

"I, well, I," he started, running a hand through his hair as he avoided my eyes suddenly—an action thatI found extremely attractive. "I heard you talking to your sister about moving in here?"

I nodded, biting my lip as his eyes met mine again. "Yes."

He lifted his head up a little and shifted in his seat. I hadn't really noticed what he was wearing when I'd first seen him—now or last night—because I'd been distracted by the beauty of his face. But now I made myself look at his clothes, and I could see that he was wearing something that you'd wear to work in an office; a suit with a black tie. He was gorgeous. "I was wondering if you wanted any help."

"What?" I asked, unable to quite grasp what he was offering. There were a lot of things he could help me with…however, none of those things revolved around the G rating his words implied.

"I wanted to know if you wanted my help moving in here. My Volvo has a large backseat and a good sized trunk. It would be quicker and easier than using your car," he clarified, relaxing when he was done. I could see a stiffness leave his shoulders and I felt envious of him for it. What was so comfortable about this situation?

"You know," I said, tapping my bottom lip. I noted that he was staring at me. "Nessie was furious when she found out I got a ride from a stranger last night. She thought you were going to haul me off against my will and rape me." I wanted to suck the words back into my mouth as soon as I'd said them. What the hell, Bella? Like he needed to know any of this!

But he chuckled, and I liked the way it sounded. "Don't worry, I'm usually a gentleman. I don't rape, abuse, or murder, women or otherwise."

I blushed, knowing he was teasing me. "Asshole."

He grinned wickedly instead of being offended at my instinctual word-choice. What could I say, it was a bad habit. "So, have I reassured you?"

I twisted my fingers together and gnawed on my bottom lip some more, pulling it in with my tongue between my top and bottom teeth. He became unblinking again. Weird. "I don't know…I don't want to be a problem, and I mean, I hardly know you and likewise and—"

He cut me off abruptly, his eyes no longer joking, only deep and intense. "I want to help," he insisted.

I blushed, hating myself for it. "And if I refused?"

His eyes twinkled again. "I don't take no for an answer."

"And why are you telling me this?"

"Future references," he said confidently. Honestly, I usually envied confident people, but with him, it only turned me on. He pushed away from the table and stood, grinning down at me. "We'd better get started."

* * *

**Taylor: **I love this story. I really do. I can't wait to get on with it. Edward. Gah. Incoherency…lol. I hope that we get lots of support on this chapter because we write faster with reviews. Really. If you think that's just some cliché authors here tell you just so that they can get lots of feedback, you are wrong. It really does help us update faster. Lol. No pressure. x)

**Nicole: **Enough of her rambling—time for ME! Haha, just kidding. I don't really have that much to add on to what Taylor said. I love what we have going with this and I hope everyone will be kind enough to review for us? *pause* What the hell am I saying? YOU BETTER REVIEW, OR I WILL BEAT YOU!!! Okay. No, I won't. That was my aggressive side talking. Heh…so, yeah. Thanks for reading!! :)


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Moving Out

Edward Cullen may be hot as hell, but he was a smart ass. After he said that we'd better get started, I stared him down for a couple of minutes, wondering if he really truly was being serious. Why would he want to help me anyways? What could I give him in return for his help? It felt wrong to take advantage of the situation, to say yes for my own personal reasons—like watching him bend over and pick up a box—but he didn't seem to accept any other answer. I did try once more to deflect him from my problems, but he was stubborn and resilient. I gave in. If the goddamn man wanted to goddamn help me, I guess I was through complaining.

I'd made sure to tell Nessie, and God, that was something I did not want to do. I'd been afraid she would open her fat mouth and start spouting off about how hot Edward was in front of him, and the details I'd told her last night about him, but she only smirked and the expression pissed me off. It always pissed me off when she got that knowing look on her face, like she knew what was going to happen. I didn't want to argue with her, so I turned to go to Kailee and tell my baby where I was going and that I'd be back soon. As I was smoothing back her hair, her eyes opening slightly and drooping closed repeatedly, I listened nosily to Edward and Alice, as he explained what he was going to do.

"Tell Mom I'll be a little late to dinner," he'd told her.

Alice had sounded suspicious and I peeked over my shoulder as she shifted onto one foot, Melanie's hand still clasped in hers as the littler girl smiled up at her uncle. "Where are you going?" Alice had asked.

Edward had rolled his eyes and mussed his hair slightly with his right hand. "I'm a grown man, Al, I don't have a curfew and I sure as hell don't need your permission to do anything."

"Uncle Edward," Melanie had whisper-giggled. "You said a naughty word!"

He he'd sighed and crouched down next to her, pulling a one dollar bill out of his pocket as he smiled crookedly at her. "You caught me, kid."

She'd grinned toothily as she snatched it and Edward stood back up.

"Just tell Mom I'll be late, okay? I'll see you soon." He'd kissed Alice quickly on the forehead, scuffed Melanie's hair around lightly, then turned around to face me, cocking an eyebrow. It hadn't been until just then that I realized I'd been caught eavesdropping. As I'd blushed, I spun back around, whispered to Kailee once more, then stood and strode out of the room towards the front door. I didn't need to turn around to see if Edward had been following me, because his fancy shoes made sounds even on the carpet—plus, I was too embarrassed to turn around.

"Later, Ness!" I'd yelled and walked out the front door, Edward's eyes on me the whole time as he followed me out.

It had taken us about half as long as usual to get to my apartment—actually, it wasn't really mine anymore—and that's how I figured out he was a smart ass. I didn't really mind it though, honestly. I had thought that I'd be uncomfortable in his presence, but I found I felt relaxed and eased. He was nice company, despite the fact he chose to tease me often on the way over. I only retaliated with something that only I could think of. Most of the time it was just, "You're not funny, smart ass" and he'd chuckle and start the conversation again. Even with him spewing things like he was, I realized I enjoyed his company, for the few hours I'd actually known him.

After about forty-five minutes, Edward finally turned onto the right street and for once he fell silent, a frown falling onto his face. I couldn't ever recall seeing one there and it looked unnatural for him. I tried to look around the street, wondering what was making him unhappy, but everything looked completely ordinary. There were the coke addicts in the alley between apartment buildings, probably high and getting higher. There was the grumpy, fat old man sitting on his dilapidated front porch with a rifle propped against his chair as he glared lazily at anything and everything. It was just another day in my neighborhood.

"What's wrong?" I asked Edward, glancing sideways at him, his hands clenching around the steering wheel of his car. It was probably the most expensive car to ever see this road, that was for sure.

"You live here?" he answered with a question, the frown deepening. Litter crowded the street gutters as the rain fell softly against the window shield. He had the wipers going, and I suddenly felt ashamed and angry. How could he judge where I could and could not live? I wasn't born into a fancy lifestyle, and even if I had, I'd have been kicked out of it from my early goddamn pregnancy. I made a choice to keep Kailee, and I'll be damned if he's gonna degrade the only thing I could afford. I knew it was a crappy neighborhood, and it was dangerous, yes, but I had no other options. Besides, this had only been intended as our temporary home. I was a young mom on my own, for Christ sake. Did he expect glistening gold stairways and marble floors, some sort of gigantic mansion? Did I look like I was made out of money?

"It was either here or the homeless shelter. And I wasn't going to go live with prostitutes, heroine addicts, and gangbangers with a six year old daughter," I said, my voice acid.

"Thank God you had choices," he said sarcastically as he slowed the Volvo and turned into the cracked concrete of my designated driveway.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I demanded, turning towards him as he shut the Volvo off and took the key out of the ignition.

"Shit, Bella, look at this street! Its crawling with gang members and drug users and you live here with a six year old girl?! You didn't have any fucking choices—the only difference between here and a homeless shelter is a goddamn deadbolt that probably doesn't even work!" he vented as he looked wildly at me.

My hands tingled, violence making me want to smack him as hard as I could. "You think I don't know that? You don't think I stay up at night, praying to God for protection, crying because I'm stuck in a situation as screwed up as this? You don't think I know Kailee is in danger here? You don't think I know my daughter or me could fucking die every time we walk out those doors?" I pointed towards the front door, my hot angry tears welling up in my eyes. God I was weak. I would not cry in front of this man. "You think I don't know that?!"

He took a deep breath, eyes glittering angrily before closing them and pinching the bridge of his nose. I tried to cool my fury at his judgment, but it was hard. I began to think that maybe bringing him here was a mistake. After a few moments, I couldn't take it anymore and I unbuckled myself, throwing open the passenger door.

"To hell with it all. Get your ass out of this place if your so damn worried for your life. I'll call a taxi or something," I told him, slamming the door closed as I walked up the sidewalk to my door. I took the keys out of my pocket, my hands trembling slightly. I heard a car door shut behind me but I didn't turn around, even as I intercepted the angry slap of his shoes against the concrete. He approached me quickly, his hand stilling mine as he snatched the key from my hand and shoved it into the lock. I was surprised, derailed from my anger almost, by the raw, prickling shock that traveled through me at his hasty touch. He was standing behind me as he worked on the lock, his chest almost brushing my shoulder as he leaned around me, breath almost tickling the flyaway hairs around my face. I couldn't ever remember being around a man like this before, seemingly so casually, and getting desires that made parts of my body tingle, parts that I'd thought were long dormant.

He finally got the screwed up key into the lock and unlocked the door, swinging it open so hard that it hit the wall. I turned around to spit a thank you at him, but when I faced him, the words—full of anger—died in my throat. He was so close to me. The top of my head just reached his nose, so I had to tilt my head back to look at him. My hands tingled again, but this time, they didn't want to hit him.

He roughly pressed my key into my hand, curling my fingers around the piece of metal, the key to the apartment, dangling off the other end of the ring. Our eyes met briefly and I felt my breath pick up, but I forced myself to spin around and march to my apartment. He followed closely, close enough to make me hyper-aware of his proximity and I hated that he was making me feel so many different things within the course of five minutes.

As I thrust the apartment key into its lock after reaching the door, Edward spoke, his voice rough and I'd be lying if I said it didn't do things to my body. "Just so you know, I wasn't concerned for my own life. I was concerned for yours."

I unlocked the door and threw it open, it too, banging against the wall. I threw my purse and keys onto the crappy wooden table and heard the door shut as he followed me in.

"Why? Why in the hell would you care about someone like me? Someone who can't get a job to save their ass, someone with a daughter they can't seem to support no matter what they do, or someone who can't find a home and keep it. I don't get it. Why the fuck should you care, if no one else does?" I asked, feeling overwhelmed suddenly. I couldn't ever remember being so angry, or so devastated.

"Hey," he said, and his voice was so much softer, void of any anger or fury. I turned around to face him as he stood leaning against the door. If I wasn't so wound up I may have laughed at the contrast between him and my apartment. He who was so glorious and beautiful, he who was dressed in clothes that cost more than my furniture, he whose face was etched with emotion I only ever saw on Nessie or Jake's face when they looked at me sometimes, was much too good to stand in my house here. I was ashamed again, that he had to be degraded by standing in a place as shitty as mine.

"What?" I asked, my voice still hard unintentionally.

"You shouldn't talk like that," he replied in that same tender voice. "You've got your sister, right? You're moving in with her and her husband. And what about your parents? I'm sure they care."

I laughed coldly at the mention of Charlie and Renee. "I haven't seen my parents in six years. If they gave a flying fart in space for me, they would've called to talk to their granddaughter for once in her life."

He looked surprised and guilty. "I'm sorry; I had no idea. They haven't even called once?"

I sighed and turned away again, going to the kitchen. I didn't feel comfortable talking about it to a stranger, even though Edward was barely a little more than that. Maybe someday I'd have the guts to tell him what happened to me, why I live like such a hobo, but not today. I'd already felt enough stress.

"Are you thirsty? Can I get you a bottle of water?" I called out as I opened the fridge. I made sure that I never used the tap water as I didn't know what kind of pollutants it might have in it in this part of town. I made sure that whenever Kailee had taken a bath, she didn't swallow any water and I insisted on bottles of water instead of cups. She hadn't minded.

I grabbed a water bottle for me and started to reach for a second one.

"No," he responded. "I'm good, thank you."

I shrugged to myself and closed the door on the two remaining bottles, unscrewing the lid of the bottle I pulled out and chugging it as I walked back out to where I'd left Edward. When I pulled the bottle away from my mouth, I saw that Edward was admiring some professional pictures of Kailee, something Jake had insisted on doing for her every birthday. I smiled at his interest and walked over, standing beside him as I took another drink.

"Her birthday was March thirteenth. Jake, Nessie's husband, insists on getting her picture taken every birthday. I'm never allowed to go because Kailee likes to surprise me. It's a thing that she does with Uncle Jake and Uncle Jake only," I rambled off, staring at the pictures of my little girl.

"She looks so much like you," Edward replied quietly.

I snorted. "Well, better me than her asshole of a father." I really wasn't that pretty; I was plain. But if there was one thing that God had really blessed me with, it was giving me a daughter who barely looked like Mike Newton. She only had his blue eyes and his intellectual brain. As much as I hated to admit it, Newton had been a good student, straight A's smarter than me. Hey, there had to be some reason for me to have fallen 'in love' with him. He was just too much of a fucking coward to raise his own daughter, a responsibility that I could understand being freaked out by, but a responsibility I wouldn't give up for the world.

Edward glanced at me, his eyes curious. "Would you mind me asking where her father is?"

I shrugged and took another drink. "Now? I have no clue. Someday, though, he'll be in hell I hope. When I was sixteen, he coaxed me into having sex with him because he said that he loved me. When I told him the next month I was pregnant, he blamed it on me, said I should have been on the pill, freaked out that he was going to be a father, and hung up. Haven't said a word to him since and I hope Kailee never has to meet that stupid son-of-a-bitch."

He frowned. "Do you get child support from him?"

I shook my head. "Nope. I never spoke to him again, so he doesn't even know what his daughter's name is. I don't want his money." I drank another gulp of water before screwing the lid back on and setting it on a shelf by a picture of Kailee beaming at the photographer, a big six in the background. "Come on, fancy pants. We'd better get started if you're going to make it to dinner."

"So you _were_ listening," he chuckled, stepping away from the pictures. "Alright, where would you like me to start?"

I looked around the room at the few scattered packed boxes and the few empty ones, still waiting to be filled. "Just start taking the boxes that are full down. I've got a few more things to round up before it's all ready."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied with a smile. He turned away from me and bent over to pick up a box, lifting with his knees. Jesus Christ, I was right. I'd known at first glance he had a good body, but I hadn't expected that even his ass would be perfect. He stood back up, and when he spoke, I heard a smirk in his voice.

"Are you staring at my ass, Swan?" he said. I felt a shock go through me as he casually used my last name, but I found that I didn't mind it. It felt like we were friends, which I sort of guess we were, now that he was helping me move out and I'd told him about the one scum in my life I desperately tried to forget. Who knows, maybe someday he'd return the gesture? I wouldn't mind getting to know him.

"Only if that's what you want to think, Cullen," I told him. He laughed and headed towards the door, opening it and walking out. I watched the space where he'd gone for a moment before smiling to myself and turning back to the pictures of Kailee. I picked one up and stared at it for a minute. Involuntarily, my eyes started to tear up as I looked at her smiling face. She looked so happy, as if she had the best life imaginable. Why couldn't I give her more? Why couldn't she have grandparents that cared or a father that loved her? How could God punish this innocent little angel for my mistakes? Was she going to grow up with me, going from home to home as I struggled to find and keep a job? Could she have a better life if I gave her up for adoption?

I recoiled instantly from the thought as I did every time I thought of giving up like that, of having her taken away from me. I was too selfish. I couldn't let Kailee go unless her life absolutely depended on it.

I took a deep breath and grabbed a piece of newspaper from a stack of old ones, wrapping it around the picture before gingerly placing it in the box I had ready. As I finished the second one, Edward reappeared. He stopped, looking astonished, as I turned to look at him.

"What now?" I asked, doing a poor job of hiding the emotion in my voice.

"Bella, are you okay?" he replied, coming to me rather than picking up another box and taking it to his car.

I laughed once without humor. "Stupid question. Do you even need me to answer? I'll only lie."

He sighed, his eyebrows furrowing. "I suppose not, but please don't cry; it makes me feel like shit because I don't know what to do."

I reached up to touch my cheek, realizing it was wet. Dammit. Well, at least I wasn't sobbing. "What more could you do? You're helping me move out of an apartment that I'm being evicted from. How the hell are you supposed to do more?" I muttered as I stared down at the picture wrapped in newspaper.

He became frustrated and ran a hand through his hair for the second time today. "Damn, I don't know. I could…I could take you out for dinner on Friday night."

I froze, blinking spastically a few times as the tears dried to my cheek. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

He scratched his neck nervously and grimaced slightly, his eyes averting my gaze until the last possible second. "Well, if that's what you want to call it. It doesn't have to be weird, we could just go as friends."

"I don't date," I said blandly, turning around to start packing up another picture of Kailee. In reality, my mind was spinning and my heart was screaming, practically banging against my rib cage and ordering me to turn around and tell him "YES!" but I didn't want to get close to anything in that way. I'd lost so much already; I'd learned by now that I have to look at everything as temporary, and I figured that's what Edward was. He was helping me now, but would I see him next week? Next month? Next year? I didn't want to get comfortable with a person only to have them yanked away from me. That shit hurts, and I couldn't really take it anymore.

"Friends then," Edward muttered, sounding embarrassed. I looked at him over my shoulder to see his face flushed, cheeks and neck red with humiliation. I couldn't hold in my laugh and I elbowed him lightly in the stomach, a jolt of pleasure going through me at his expression. He actually wanted me to say yes.

"What's in it for me?" I asked playfully, wrapping up a third picture.

"A wonderful evening in a beautiful city with a man who is really hoping you'll comply," he said. "I'll beg if I have to. Is that what you want?"

"I—"

Despite the face his face was still red, he got down on his knees and clasped his hands in front of him, making him look absolutely ridiculous. And he was doing it for me. "Oh, Bella Swan! Will you please, please, _please_ let me take you out to dinner on Friday night? Nothing would make me happier."

I turned around, smirking. "Don't you have a girlfriend or something?" I picked my almost empty water bottle up and downed the remaining contents, chucking the lightweight plastic at his head. It glanced off of him, but he didn't move and I almost burst into laughter.

He shrugged. "I used to be engaged, but she broke it off."

I gasped, feeling horrible instantly. "Oh, shit. I'm sorry, Edward, I didn't mean—"

"It was two years ago, Bella, I'm fine. I haven't had a girlfriend since; I focus on my job."

"And you want a diversion for a night?"

He groaned and stood back up. "I just want dinner. With you. I'm not even giving you an option anymore; I will be at the daycare around six on Friday to pick you up and if your not ready, so help me God I will drag you out, even if you are in sweats and a T-shirt."

I rolled my eyes as he stooped to pick up my empty water bottle and turned back to finish up the last two pictures of Kailee. "We'll see about that." In all honesty, I was surprised a man that looked like him wanted to take me out on a date. I hadn't dated in years, and I was kind of uneasy about it, because in actuality, it simply was a date between me and Edward. We could sugar-coat it and say we were going out as friends, but both of us knew that's not what it was. At least, I knew. And my heart beat faster just thinking about it, which I knew was wrong.

Edward threw my empty bottle away in a trash bag by the hall and started picking up another box, lugging it out to his car. Before long, I had everything else I needed to bring packed away in the last cardboard boxes and I was helping him haul out all my crap. Once, as I was coming down the stairs, I had a large box filled with blankets and pillows and I couldn't see around it. I lost my footing and the box went flying, a breathless squeal coming from me as I started to fall down the stairs. Edward was just coming back up and as I stumbled down them, somehow keeping on my feet, he dodged the box and caught me before I could hit the ground. His arms wrapped around me, strong and protective and I felt my face getting hotter in his embrace. Through his dressy clothes, I could tell he was a hard-core exerciser and the feel of his muscles made me tingle again, just knowing how strong he was.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his arms seeming reluctant as he dropped them and allowed me to step away.

"Thanks to you," I replied, bending down to pick up the box I'd released, hoping to hide my blushing face behind it.

But he snatched it away from me. "Are you insane? You think I'm going to let you carry that after almost killing yourself?" Without another word, he turned with the box in his hands and marched down the second flight of stairs. I sighed and turned around, heading back up the steps to grab another box.

After roughly three hours of work, everything that I wanted was packed very tightly away in Edward's Volvo. The sun was setting, and behind the clouds, it looked much darker than six o'clock in October. The wind was a little stronger, the rain a little heavier, and my comfort level around Edward was reaching an astonishing high. I'd never been comfortable around men really after Newton and the assholes that wouldn't hire me because of my 'situation'. But Edward was different.

Even though he was different, it still made me edgy to be out at this time of the day, when gangs started coming out and the druggies really started to dig into their supplies. As Edward shut the door to his Volvo, shoving in the last box, I hastily climbed into the passenger seat and buckled up, ready to be out of here. Maybe, in way, this wasn't the worse thing that could happen to me. This neighborhood really wasn't the best place to raise a child, and hell, God knows how many restless nights I've had, clutching my little girl to my chest as gunshots rang out in the street and in the apartment complex.

As Edward got into the car and turned it on, I groaned, realizing I'd forgotten the remaining water bottles in my fridge. There were only two of them but the landlord had made it clear that if I didn't have absolutely everything out by today I was going to be stuck in one large pile of shit.

"I forgot something," I said suddenly just as Edward put the car in reverse. He froze for a minute then sighed, putting it back in park.

"Do you need any help with it?" he asked, looking at me. The dashboard was starting to glow and it lit up the hollows of his cheeks, shadowing his eyes so that only a twinkle of the dark green was seen against the light. He looked just like he did last night, when he'd given me a ride to Nessie's.

"No. I'll be right back," I said, trying to hide my nervousness.

"I'll be right here," he promised, looking a little anxious himself as I unbuckled and left the car. Two minutes later, I was coming out of the front door of the complex, my arms wrapped around my water bottles and my key dangling precariously on the tip of one of my fingers. Edward's car was sitting along the curb in the street, facing the way we had to go to get back to Nessie and Jake's. I smiled slightly to myself and started off in the direction of the car when something rough and dirty grabbed my arms. I gasped and dropped my water bottles, the key clanging to the ground with a metallic-y sound. I felt something cold and smooth being pushed against my cheek as I was pressed backwards into something lean and hard, a hand holding me securely against a body, another hand holding a gun to my head.

"Gimme yo' money, bitch," a male voice demanded in my ear. I shuddered in fear, realizing that this may be the one time I could die, the day I was leaving this hell hole. God that's just my luck. At least Kailee was safe; at least she couldn't be hurt. I didn't respond to the man and I cried out as he pushed the barrel of the pistol roughly into my face. I knew I was going to be bruised. "Gimme yo' money!" he said more forcefully.

Tears welled up in my eyes, I couldn't stop them. "I don't have any!" I said, my voice twisted into something I'd never heard it sound like before. Defenselessness. I was completely powerless right now.

"Like hell you don't. I see yo' car there. Now gimme yo' money!" The gun clicked as it signaled it was loaded and I squeezed my eyes together. I was going to die.

"Get your fucking hands off of her!"

I opened my eyes again to see the unmistakable figure of Edward, coming towards me quickly. The man holding me to him only tightening his grip at the sight and digging the gun harshly into my cheek again. Edward sounded mad, and in the fading light of day, he looked furious, eyes glittered viciously. The tears in my eyes fell but I wasn't ashamed of these tears. I had reason to cry these tears.

"I'm not letting go of the bitch until she gimme's her money!" the man screamed in my ear.

I watched helplessly as Edward reached into his pocket and pulled out a wallet. My eyes widened despite everything else.

"No, Edward don't—"

"Shut up, Bella," Edward hissed, roughly yanking a wad of cash out of his wallet. A few more tears escaped and fell down my cheeks. "Give her to me," he said to the man, his voice as hard as concrete, as cold as ice.

"Give the money to the bitch," the man ordered. Edward complied, shoving the cash into my hand. I felt awful and I knew that I was going to be sick soon. My stomach churned and my whole body shook. "Now, slide the money in my pocket." I did as he said instantly, although it took a little longer than I wanted it to because I was shaking so bad. As soon as the wad was in his pocket, he brought the gun away from my face and shoved me forward roughly, causing me to stumble and fall. I hit the ground hard, Edward too slow to catch me this time. I heard retreating footsteps and though I was shaking like a leaf in the fall breeze, I knew I should be glad that he didn't fire at me and Edward with his gun at all.

"Bella? Bella?" Edward repeated my name. I looked around dizzily for him, his face just a shadow against the dark gray clouds. I couldn't find my voice; couldn't make myself speak. Never had I been approached by anyone in this neighborhood, never had I been threatened like that. As my head spun, I tried to find the reasoning, why tonight of all nights I was picked for such a situation. "Bella, I'm so sorry I snapped at you but you were being ridiculous. Bella, can you hear me? Blink twice if you can hear me."

I blinked twice.

"Oh, thank God," he sighed in relief. I felt another pair of hands—but these were gentle hands, these hands wouldn't hurt me—pull on my arms. Somehow, I made it into a sitting position and then, arms were around me, holding me. I was lifted, set tenderly into a waiting vehicle and I blinked again out a wide expanse of window, the reality setting in slowly.

I was startled out of my reverie when I heard a door slam and looked over to see Edward in the driver's seat of his Volvo. He was watching me with concern barely discernable in the dark, but it was there.

"Did he hurt you? Did he touch you anywhere? Bella, you have to tell me if that bastard hurt you," he demanded.

I reached up to touch my cheek, still sore from having the weapon pressed against it.

Edward swatted my hand away and turned on a light in the car. I flinched at the brightness, but he gently took my head into his free hand and brought it towards him, my sore cheek facing him. He brushed across it lightly with his fingers and though it was bruising, his touch made me shiver as more tingles exploded along my skin.

"Goddamn it, Bella. If I hadn't turned around in this seat, looking for you…if I hadn't gotten impatient…" he trailed off and let my head go, dropping his hands. "He was going to kill you."

I nodded, still unable to speak. He huffed and turned off the light in his car, putting the car in drive and speeding off down the road immediately. It took half the time it normally took me to get back to Nessie's, which made me wonder if Edward was just being an asshole earlier by making it so difficult to get to my apartment. As soon as he was in her driveway, he shut the car off and raced to my side of the car. I rolled my eyes as I opened the door and tried to stand, but my legs were still trembling and I wobbled slightly. He reached out and grasped my arm instantly.

"I'm fine, Edward," I said, my voice shaking.

"Really?" he said, unconvinced. "Because you sure as hell don't look fine."

"I'll get over it," I assured him, not so sure myself if it was true.

He grumbled something as he held my arm, helping me up the sidewalk to the daycare's door, but I couldn't make out what he was saying.

"Don't say anything to Jake or Nessie," I said quickly as he helped me up the steps to the door. He whipped his head around to look at me, eyes wide, accusing me of insanity.

"Are you crazy, Bella? They're your family, they need to know what almost happened to you tonight," he said. "They're going to know something is wrong. You're shaking and I've never seen anyone so pale before, not even a dead anyone. You have to tell them."

I shook my head, which would have cost me my balance if Edward hadn't been holding onto my arm. "And make them even more concerned? Nessie is going to go prematurely gray as it is, with her worrying all the time about me and Kailee. Jake is going to somehow blame himself for it because he feels like he needs to protect me, being Nessie's sister and—"

"But it was my fault, Bella."

We stopped in front of the door and this time I looked at him like he was insane. "How the hell do you figure that? Edward, that was anything but your fault."

"This is the only time you've been attacked, isn't it?" he demanded, his grip on my arm tightening slightly with his anger. "You know why? Because that son-of-a-bitch saw my car in your driveway and thought it was yours. He thought that it was yours, Bella. He was going to kill you because of me and my car."

I knew he was right the second the words left his lips and I felt even sicker. My stomach gurgled and I stumbled sideways. Edward must have known what was coming—read it on my face or something—and he held me up while I heaved over the side of the daycare's steps, releasing my breakfast and lunch into the bushes. He held my hair back with one hand while the other held me securely around the waist as I bent over. My ass was tucked tightly against his hip and if I wasn't being so wimpy, I would have noticed and blushed.

As I was giving one last heave, the door to the daycare flew open and Jake stood there, wide eyed at the scene in front of him. Edward pulled me up straight gently, not letting me go once.

"What happened to her?" Jake demanded, glaring at Edward.

I sighed shakily, my mouth tasting of bile as I wiped my sleeve across my lips, my skin feeling dirty from the rough touch of the man with the gun. I wanted to brush my teeth and take a shower. "I just don't feel good, that's all. Where's Ness?"

"She took Kailee out to Toys 'R Us. Bella, did he do anything to you?" Jake nodded his head sharply in Edward's direction, to which Edward narrowed his eyes.

"No, Jake, of course not. He only helped me move out of the apartme…" my voice trailed off, a replay coming back to me. My head spun dizzily and I felt sick again.

"Where's the bathroom?" Edward demanded of Jake, seeing my expression.

"Down the hall, first on the left," Jake replied, alarmed.

Edward nodded and pulled me with him, shoving the bathroom door open. He knelt me in front of the toilet hastily, but gently, and I heaved into the bowl, dispelling all the water I'd drank earlier. He sat on the edge of the tub as he pulled my hair back from my face. Even though I felt like shit and shouldn't care, I couldn't help thinking how embarrassing it was for this man—who offered me a ride when he didn't know me, who insisted on helping me move out of a crappy apartment, who risked his life to save mine—to hold my hair while I hurled my guts out into a toilet bowl. I wanted to disappear from the embarrassment.

Once it felt like I was done, I felt my cheek press into the side of the toilet, not caring at the moment that people put their dirty asses on it. "Ughn," I groaned.

"Jake!" Edward called my brother-in-law's name out.

"Yeah?" Jake asked as he appeared in the doorway. He glanced at my face and grimaced. "You don't look so hot, Bells."

I moaned again. "Thanks."

He chuckled slightly and turned to Edward. "You called?"

"Does Bella have any clean clothes in here?" Edward asked, his hand dropping my hair and rubbing my back soothingly. I closed my eyes and breathed out shakily, realizing if it weren't for Edward, I could very well be dead twice now, once from the store last night and now tonight. I knew he blamed himself for what happened with the man and the gun, but I didn't. I wouldn't have changed anything about this day, except for maybe bringing those freaking water bottles down with me the first time we were about to leave.

I knew Jake motioned to the linen closet just next to the bathtub. "Always a spare in here."

"Thank you," Edward said. I heard him stand but no further movement.

"I don't think you should change Bella," I heard Jake say.

Edward sighed and I opened my eyes to see Jake guarding the linen closet, hand over the knob, as Edward stood in front of him, looking tired. He shook his head at my brother-in-law.

"I'm not going to grope her. I don't disrespect women like that; Bella knows. You can ask her." He sent an exhausted smile my way. I remembered what he said earlier that afternoon when I told him about Nessie's worry for me last night and couldn't help but smile back. The first joke he'd cracked. The first time he'd made fun of me.

"I don't mind, Jake," I said, my voice breathy. Was that really my voice? I mean, I knew I was tired, but this was beyond tired; this was pure exhaustion. Maybe it comes with near-death experiences.

Jake sighed but stepped out of the way. He gave Edward one hard glance over before looking at me. "If he touches you in anyway you don't want to be touched, scream and I'll come in here and kick his ass."

I rolled my eyes weakly, almost laughing at the expression on Edward's face, insulted with a twinge of anger.

"I trust him, Jake," I said, closing my eyes again. And it was the complete truth. I don't know how much money Edward gave the bastard who'd threatened my life, but no one had ever done such a thing, much less anyone I barely knew. He could have gotten killed just as easily as me, but he risked his life to make sure I was safe, that I was okay. How could I not trust someone who saved my life?

"Okay, but I'm serious." He paused and when he spoke again, I knew he was talking to Edward. "You touch her anywhere that's inappropriate and I will bust your face in. Understand?"

"Yes," Edward sighed, sounding too tired to be upset or amused.

Jake sounded surprised by Edward's easy compliancy. "Okay. Well, okay then." The door shut quietly and I opened my eyes to see Edward twisting the knob on the linen closet down. I choked on a laugh at the frustration on his face as he kept trying to pull open the door.

"You have to twist the knob up," I whispered, still laughing breathlessly.

He looked over at me and if I hadn't been so exhausted, I would have gotten up and showed him how to do it, but my body felt like a brick and I was glued to the floor, face against a stupid toilet. I really needed a shower.

Edward looked back at the closet and twisted the handle up. It swung open easily and he laughed weakly to himself. I saw his hands go in as he must have fished around for a pair of pants and shirt for me. He pulled them out with a towel and I felt my eyes widen slightly.

"You must feel dirty," he started, looking slightly uneasy. I couldn't disagree, so I nodded my head.

"Well, do you think you can shower on your own?" he asked, face turning red.

I shrugged, my shoulders barely lifting. "Doubt it. I can barely move."

"Maybe we should wait till your sister gets home then," he suggested.

I shook my head. "Just help me wash my hair in the sink; I'll shower my body in the morning," I said. I really only wanted my face and hair washed anyway.

His face slackened in relief. "Okay."

He set the towel and clothes down on the counter, picking me up gently with hands that were sure and tender. I closed my eyes, feeling the sparks fly between our skins as he wiped my mouth off with a hand towel, his fingers brushing my lips and chin on accident a few times. I felt my breathing become a little labored as he scrubbed my hair in the sink with Nessie's peach shampoo. His fingers worked at my scalp with the right amount of pressure, releasing stress from parts in my body, tensing up in other places at the feel of his hands.

After he rinsed the conditioner out of my hair, he helped me sit up on the counter, making sure I was alright. I nodded, assuring him that I felt stable for the time being. He smiled slightly at me before reaching down and slipping my shoes off my feet.

I'd never felt sexual tension as extreme as I did now, having Edward Cullen undress and redress me. His hands brushed my legs as he unbuttoned my pants and pulled them down slowly as he held me against him. I could have helped him if I wanted to, but I stayed frozen as he slid flannel pants back onto me, clean and smelling like cotton. My shirt came next and his fingers lightly skimmed up my sides as he pulled my shirt up and over my head. I could see his eyes wandering over me through my half-lidded eyes, but I didn't care. He could probably start fondling me over my bra and I wouldn't care. I was too tired, too weak, too sick…and maybe a little too willing to care.

He stuck my arms up in the air and I kept them there as he grabbed the clean T-shirt off the counter and put it on me. Once I was covered fully, it seemed we both let out breaths we didn't realize we were holding and we smiled at each other. He took my hair and pulled it out of my shirt, sweeping it behind my back.

"Feel any better?" he asked.

I nodded my head, feeling it go up and down a little extremely from the weight it felt like it was carrying.

"Good. Let's get you to bed."

"But Kailee—"

"Shhhh," Edward shushed me as I started to panic. "You need rest, Bella. Nessie has Kailee; she'll be fine."

"You're right," I mumbled, surprised that I uttered those words.

"I'm always right. Now tell me where you'll be sleeping."

I sighed and told him it was two doors down from the bathroom. He nodded and wrapped an arm securely around my waist, throwing the door open. Jake, who'd been standing in the hallway, jumped.

"Jesus Christ!" he yelped, almost tripping over himself.

"What were you doing, Jake?" I asked, my frail voice sounding angered. It wasn't like he had a right to spy on me. I knew he was a year older, but he was married to my sister, not me. I could've had sex with Edward in the bathtub and he shouldn't have technically given a damn.

He smiled at me apologetically as Edward readjusted his arm around me. "Sorry, Bells. But you're my sister."

"Whatever. I'm going to bed. Tell Kailee that I love her when she gets home," I said tiredly as Edward started leading me down to my bedroom. Jake nodded at me and smiled again.

"See ya in the morning, Bella."

"See ya, Jake," I mumbled.

Edward yanked the door to the guestroom open and walked inside. I looked around lazily, remembering the last time I'd stayed here about six months ago. There were still some of mine and Kailee's belongings adorning the room, furniture that we hadn't bothered to take with us to our apartment.

"It's nice," Edward said after a moment, leading me to the bed.

I shrugged slightly as he plopped me on the edge and started pulling back the sheets. "I guess. I'd rather not live off of my sister and her husband, but I don't really have any other options right now, do I?"

He sighed and helped me under the blankets, kneeling next to the bed after I was tucked away. "Be thankful, Bella. You could still be stuck back in that apartment."

I snorted. "Not. I was evicted. I didn't choose to move out on my own."

His eyes widened and I realized I'd never told him that. "You mean, you weren't leaving because of the neighborhood? You were going to stay?"

"If I hadn't been kicked out?" I whispered, afraid of his reaction. "Yes."

He took both hands into his hair and pulled at the scalp, a look of total and utter frustration on his face. "Dammit, Bella. Promise me you'll never stay in a place like that again. You ask me before you rent an apartment, not after."

I looked at him funny. "Who are you, my father? Jake? I don't have to talk to you before I do anything in my life. I don't even really know you that well."

He sighed and it surprised me when his angry looking hands brushed my hair back from my face gently in the dark room. He had such tenderness inside of him. "I know, and I'm sorry. I just can't have you living somewhere like that again, especially not after what happened tonight. I still think you should tell someone about it."

I looked away from him, up at the ceiling. "I told you. Hell, you saw it happen."

"Bella," he reprimanded.

I sighed and looked back at him. "Okay, fine, I'll tell Nessie in the morning."

He smiled at me. "Good. I have to go now; I've gotta get your stuff out of my car and get to my parent's. Mom is probably worried sick about me as I'm really late for dinner, but I'll see you soon okay?"

I nodded. "Yep. Have a good night."

His smile turned sarcastic. "Cause that's exactly what it's been so far."

"I didn't think I was that bad," I defended playfully, tiredly.

He appeared thoughtful. "I was actually referring to the part where I almost watched that bastard blow your brains out."

"Oh, yeah," I said, my stomach churning again. If it wasn't empty by now, I would have just released the rest of it. "That wasn't good."

He laughed and rubbed my arm through the blanket. His touch was so casual, as if we'd known each other more than two days. I was glad it wasn't too awkward, glad we could be comfortable around each other. He was a nice friend to have. "No, it really wasn't. See you soon."

My heart fluttered at the tiny promise as Edward squeezed my arm and stood, smiling down at me. Through the last filters of light coming from outside, I could see his green eyes twinkling. He turned and started for the door. My heart screamed at me as he started to close it behind him and it spoke through my lips.

"Wait!" it said, and because it was talking, my voice was the strongest it'd been since the incident.

He seemed slightly startled but stuck his head back into the room. "Yes?"

"Thank you," I said more quietly, pushing away the thoughts that I hadn't controlled. "Not just for saving my life. Thank you for the ride home last night; thank you for helping me move my stuff here; thank you for washing my hair and changing my clothes; thank you for being my friend."

He smiled at me again in the darkness. "I know this is going to sound weird, but I'm glad you hit me in the balls last night with your car."

I giggled a little. "Me too."

His smile turned soft. "Goodnight, Bella."

"Bye, Edward," I replied. My eyes stayed open until I couldn't hear his footsteps anymore, then I left them drift closed. I feared that I was going to keep having flashbacks of the man who almost killed me, but it was the opposite. I was too exhausted to dream and I fell asleep thinking about Kailee, and the man who'd saved my life: Edward Cullen.

*

"WHAT!?"

I cringed, rubbing my temples to ease away the pain in my head. "Ness, will you take the volume down a couple notches? Kailee's still sleeping, and I have a headache the size of China." I grumbled, glaring at her.

I knew I shouldn't have told her.

Nessie glared right back at me. "This is _my_ house, Isabella Marie. I'll lower the volume when I want. Jesus, you were almost _killed _last night—and you expect me _not _to worry about you? Oh my God—weren't you thinking _at all_? What if Edward hadn't been there? You'd be dead by now! Kailee wouldn't have a mother at all!"

I didn't bother to bring up that if Edward hadn't been there, I might not have been in that situation in the first place. I refused to believe that it was really his fault anyways. He was just trying to help me out, that's all.

"Yeah, I know that. But I'm _not _dead, Ness." I said, still rubbing my temples in an attempt to ease away the pounding in my head. My stomach twisted nauseatingly again and I knew I needed to go to the toilet. I was going to be sick again. "I'm still alive. Kailee still has a mother. I just thought you should know. Now if you'll excuse me, I really need to go to the bathroom."

* * *

**Nicole:** _Err…this chapter is mostly Taylor's. I just added that last small section. _:] _We hope you guys liked it. Taylor's a freaking genius, isn't she? So, we're trying out something new and making it as if B & E were actual adults in this day and age. Tell us how you think we're doing! Oh, and follow me on twitter (twitter[dot]com/nicolepushman) to find out when UntouchableHybrids does an update!_

**Taylor:**_ So I got carried away, sue me. I loved writing this chapter so much and I'll be starting on chapter 4 ASAP for y'all. Nicole and me love ya for sticking with the story. Thanks for showing your support :D NOW REVIEW and maybe Edward will make a visit…there's only one way to find out…_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Through His Eyes: Part 1

I hated doing this shit. It all looked the same to me, why the hell was Alice so adamant about 'the right kind' of medicine? I didn't mind shopping for her and Jasper because they were new to the area, but when Alice says to get 'the right kind' does she mean Children's Tylenol or Children's Motrin? And what flavors? I knew the kids were picky, but they were my little girls and I tried my damned hardest to make sure that Olivia and Melanie got what they wanted.

Cherry or grape?

I narrowed my eyes at the Tylenol, my hand half extended as I tried to decide which flavor to get. I'd come straight to the drug store from the office where I worked as an editor for everything from movies to books to TV advertisements. It was the only company in Seattle that worked on inclusive film footage as it was easier and cheaper for a Hollywood director to begin his career as an editor here. I wasn't CEO but I was on my way. I'd just been given a raise two months ago, and a promotion was promised by the end of the year. Someday soon, I hoped to have my own company similar to my boss's. I was twenty-eight and I was only getting older, though I was the youngest man in the company to ever get to such a high office position.

But I'm a Cullen and defying odds is what we do best.

"Can I help you, sir?"

I dropped my hand and looked over to see a woman in her thirties baring the painfully bright red vest that marked her as an employee here at the drug store. Her eyes scanned me and I sighed to myself, wishing all women weren't so obvious about checking me out. I'd only ever met one who'd been secretive about observing my undeniably good looks, and I hadn't seen her since she broke off our engagement and ran off with my best friend.

I was devastated at first, naturally, but after the first year I came to realize how much of a favor she did me by leaving. I kept in touch with both her and her boyfriend—who was the man she ran away with—when she called a couple months ago and I liked to call both of them my friends now. They were planning on moving to Seattle in a month or so and I was glad to be seeing them. Though she'd broken my heart, I was no longer in love with her and I wished her and her boyfriend all the best. Besides, they were meant for each other anyways, and I only wanted to remain friends, as did they.

The older woman ran her eyes lazily over me once more and I wondered if she could be any more goddamn obvious. I felt my irritation flare. This wouldn't be the first time I wished that I wasn't blessed with the looks I had; it either always made me late or singled me out. Or both.

"Don't you have any kids medicine that's watermelon or blueberry flavored?" I asked her, knowing that Livi and Mel would not appreciate the limited choices. What did Alice buy for them? This shit was way over my head.

The employee finally made eye contact with me. "We only have grape and cherry, sir." God, even her voice annoyed me. I needed to get out of here; I'd been in my work clothes too long, my feet were aching from the uncomfortable shoes I was forced to wear, and my muscles were tense, begging to be loosened.

I looked back to the shelves in front of me and grabbed one Children's Tylenol of each. To hell with it. It was ridiculous that I had stood there for five minutes decided on flavor when it was clear that there were only two choices and it wasn't like I didn't have goddamn money to spare, because I had plenty.

"Are you ready to be checked out, sir?" the woman asked, her voice entwined with a strange undercurrent. I didn't miss the double meaning and added in my own head that I'd been checked out enough to last a lifetime.

"Uh…" I looked at the medication in my hands, debating if I should look around a little more; but I needed to go home and that made my decision. I still had to run over to Alice's place tonight and that was at least a forty minute drive from here, then another half an hour to my own house… "Yeah."

She smiled at me and motioned for me to follow her. "I can help you on register one."

I nodded and fell into step behind her, not missing the fact that she swayed her hips exaggeratedly when she walked. I looked at the back of her sandy hair and realized that she was pretty. Long legs, terrific ass, and a slim little waist to complete the package. Why was it I never noticed these things at first glance? It was like I was losing interest in all women and that scared me. I was young and hot and male…I shouldn't be just watching all the girls go by and not giving it a second thought. I eventually wanted a family, I eventually wanted to settle down…but if I kept ignoring the advances of women, that was never going to happen. And for me to not realize their assets until too late? It's unnatural for a man.

God, please don't tell me I'm gay.

The woman walked around a counter and I squinted against the glare off her nametag. Jennifer.

I placed my items on the counter and she scanned them over the scanner, her eyes not-so-secretively glancing up to look at me every two seconds or so. I sighed as she slowly dragged a plastic bag out and began to become impatient again. My hands itched to run through my hair with habit.

"Ouch! God_damn_ it!" a woman yelled from some aisle of the store. I looked over, as did a few other people, to see deep brown hair pinned up against a head and a great ass tucked into a pencil skirt that looked like it'd seen better days. She was wearing scuffed heels that clicked against the tile and her arms were full of bottles of medicine that she dumped on a check-out counter with her back to me. She shook a hand and brought it to her mouth; I wondered what she did to herself fleetingly and smiled bemusedly at the woman though I couldn't see her face. It was clear she had her hands full. And it was also a relief to realize that I'd noticed her ass and wasn't getting all homosexual.

"Sir? Your total would be eight forty-two."

I brought my attention back to the woman named Jennifer and fished around in my pocket for my wallet. I fingered over the two hundred dollar bills hidden at the back and pulled out a ten, setting it down on the table. Jennifer rang it up and handed me my change, nearly insisting that I come back very, very soon. I said a polite goodbye and grabbed my bag, ready to get the hell out of there.

It was raining harder outside that it had been when I arrived and I knew that I'd been in the store for way too long. I swore and started across the lot, trying to hurry to keep from getting too soaked through. The cars in the lot were parked kind of close together and I had to weave through them to get to my Volvo, sitting on the far end. I always parked as far away as I could because I loved exercise, even a short little walk, now, though, I was regretting that stupid ass decision. The rain was starting to slam so hard into my head I was getting a goddamn headache.

Of course, I never saw it coming; it was much too fast for me.

I was hurrying through the last couple of cars when a rusty piece of crap's door to my right swung open wildly and hit me fast and hard in the balls. I sucked in a breath and grunted, dazed by the pain and I stumbled towards the car that had harassed me, leaning my leg against it. The agony in my lower regions was only diverted some when I heard a woman speaking in a flurry, her words jumbling together as she spoke. I opened my eyes—not realizing I'd closed them—and saw that same messy hairdo getting pummeled by the rain and the same brown pencil skirt that made her ass look so good standing right before me.

I knew I was definitely, one-hundred percent not gay when I looked at her face. The lights from the store behind me lit up her embarrassed and guilty expression while I knew mine was in the dark. Thank God for that; it meant she couldn't see the way my eyes dragged up her slender legs, stared at the curves of her body, and lingered on her neck and lips.

I was still holding onto myself though the appearance of this woman chased away most of the pain. She was beautiful, I realized, not merely pretty. Her face was heart-shaped, with gentle curving cheek bones and wide chocolate eyes that were horrified. Her lips were full and plump the bottom slightly larger than the top, and, though I know it was silly to notice, she had the cutest little ears.

And then I realized she was talking to me.

"Oh…God…I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, slamming her car door shut. It squeaked and protested against the movement. "I didn't see you there! Oh my God! Are you okay?"

I dragged in a breath to answer her. "If you give me a minute, I'll be fine."

"God, I'm sorry," she apologized again. I looked up at her through squinting eyes. Through the rain, I could see that she really was quite…well, _pretty _didn't cover it, really.

I took another moment to make sure I was completely fine before straightening up and forcing a small smile. "I'm fine," I said.

She frowned. "Are you sure? I'm such a klutz; I can, you know, pay for…um, damage?"

I had to laugh. _Damage _was right! She blushed an even brighter shade of red than before, and I wondered how a woman obviously out of high school was still blushing like a little girl. And then, I wondered why I thought it was cute.

"No, no," I said through my laughter, "I don't want to take any of your money." I brought my hand down on the hood of her car. "And no worries; no damage. At least, no permanent damage." I couldn't help but laugh again.

"I'm still sorry," she said, biting her lip—something that looked as if it were an unconscious gesture. "Need any ibuprofen? I have a ton in my car if you—."

I cut her off, smiling at her fumbling. "Really, miss, I'm fine."

She nodded slowly, still unsure obviously. "Uhm, okay then."

"Thanks though," I told her. And because after a second or two I realized I was wet from my head to my goddamn feet—which still hurt like a bitch—and that I was staring openly at the woman, I awkwardly picked up my bags, shaking them. It was a stupid thing to do since it was pouring so hard, but my head wasn't really on straight as I was tired and trying to look impressive for this woman for no reason that I could identify with myself.

As I went to pass her, she flattened her back against her car and I found myself holding my breath as my body brushed sensually against hers. I resented and tried to fight back the sudden pangs of desire because though I'd had a couple of one night stands in my past before, there was something about her that told me she wasn't like those other women. That, and I didn't want to come off as a man-whore either. Alice told me it was an 'unattractive quality'. Whatever. It's not like I banged a different woman every night.

I walked away from her, feeling her eyes on my back as I retreated. I froze when I heard her voice through the rain calling out to me.

"Wait!" she said. Did I drop something? I turned and the light fell on my face, exposing my quizzical expression to her. I couldn't see her face, but her stance told me she was embarrassed.

"Did I drop something?" I asked, vocalizing my thought.

"No, but, um…" she trailed off nervously and I felt myself becoming even more confused, and a little irritated. I was raining pretty goddamn hard right now and all I wanted to do was go home, dry off, and sleep. I still had things to do before I could do that and this woman was making me stand in the rain.

But I realized suddenly that I didn't have to remain here. I was doing it because I wanted to. I wanted to hear what she had to say.

"Yeah?" I prompted when she didn't reply.

She started after another moment. "My car is—."

I knew where she was going with this instantly. The piece of shit had broken down on her at the most opportune moment. Yeah, I remember those god-awful high school days. "You need a ride," I said, grinning at her.

She nodded. "Could you…?"

I knew I was cranky, but I surprised myself when I gestured my head in the direction of my own car and said, "I'm over here." She turned to get her belongings out of her car as I made the last few feet to my vehicle and slid in, tossing the soaking bag of medicine over my shoulder. Stupid fucking rain. The seats were going to be ruined from all the goddamn water.

The passenger door suddenly opened just as I started the car and the woman slid in. I put on a friendly face and smiled at her. "Where to?" I asked.

She hesitated before clearing her throat. "Uh…just get on this road here,"—she pointed to the one in front of us—"and follow it south. I'll tell you which streets when we get close."

I nodded and put the car in reverse. "So…who are you going home to?" Was I being too forward? I didn't want to scare her off, but I was curious if she had a boyfriend or a husband.

"It's actually my sister's house," she told me quietly. "My daughter got the flu. I had to run to the store to get medicine because my sister was all out."

"Oh," I said, surprised, as I turned onto the road she'd pointed out. "What's your daughter's name?" I didn't necessarily love children, but I loved my nieces to pieces. I let my eyes glance at her left hand, but no golden shine bounced off a wedding band. I still wondered if she had a boyfriend.

"Kailee," she told me, her voice full of love and pride.

"Yeah? How old is she?" I pressed. I slammed my foot on the break at the sudden traffic stop in front of me and swore. "Sorry," I told her.

She adjusted in her seat and chuckled a little. "It's okay. Um, Kailee is six. She's a genius, and she's all mine."

I nodded appreciatively and lightly stepped on the gas pedal. "…her father?"

Her attitude shifted immediately. "Asshole. Soul-sucker," she said venomously, crossing her arms over her chest. It pushed her breasts together and when I glanced at her at a stop light, my eyes wandered to the cleavage peeking up from under the lace-trimmed shirt.

"So…no boyfriend?" I asked, my eyes glued to her chest. I was only human, and I was a man. A man who hadn't had sex in a while. A stressed, over-worked man who's pants were suddenly feeling a little tight sitting in this dark car with a beautiful woman.

"Um, aren't you going to go?" she asked in a small voice.

"What?" I replied, shaking my head. Horns started honking and I looked out the window to see a green light. "Ah, fuck!" I glanced at the woman's shocked face. "Shit! I mean—."

"Go!" she laughed, pointing at the road.

I stomped on the gas pedal and we shot forwards as the lights turned yellow. Silence settled over the car and in my embarrassment, I'd forgotten that I'd asked her a question. After the woman told me which street to turn on, she broke the stillness.

"No boyfriend," she said. I looked over at her, the streetlights lighting up her face, and it was so sad. Her face looked so downcast, her voice so broken. I felt awful for ever asking my question in the first place, it was obvious that she hadn't been taken care of by any man. She'd been hurt before.

It was silent again in the car unless she was telling me which streets to take. I could see her face grow more worried the farther along we got and when we finally pulled up in front of what she proclaimed to be her sister's daycare, she looked like a wreck.

"Thank you," she said gratefully as she grabbed her shopping bag and pulled the hood of her jacket over her falling hairdo. "I don't even know your name…" She started digging in her purse for something.

"Edward," I supplied, smiling crookedly at her. "Edward Cullen."

She pulled out a wallet and opened it, taking a five dollar bill into her hand. I had no idea what she was doing with it. "Thank you for helping me, Edward Cullen," she told me, extending the bill towards me.

It dawned on me and I shook my head, refusing. "Keep it," I insisted.

She frowned at me. "But I insist!" She jerked her hand towards me again. "It's the least I can do—I know it's not much, but…I don't know, you could use it for gas or something." This money would buy two gallons of gas; that wouldn't do any good for me. Was five dollar bills all this woman could afford for gas? I was secretly astonished by her suddenly apparent lack of money. I realized it then, that she was living with her sister; the poor, beautiful woman was living with her sister. I didn't think she wanted empathy, so I went with the emotion that came from seeing her insistence. Amusement.

I shook my head again. "It's fine…?" I realized I didn't know her name.

"Bella….Swan," she told me. Bella Swan. I didn't think I would forget. Even her name means beautiful.

"Bella," I said with a chuckle, "I don't need you to pay me for helping you. Besides, I'd do anything for a beautiful woman, no fee." I wondered, as I grinned at her, if she caught my double meaning. On their own accord, my eyes darted back down to her chest, even though her cleavage wasn't showing anymore.

She blushed; what was she thinking? "I…well, thank you, Edward. But, please. I insist—."

I reached out and folded her fingers back over the bill. "Keep it, Bella. I don't need you to pay me for helping you out." Did she just shiver or was that my imagination? "If you don't hurry, your daughter might get worse," I told her.

"Oh…Oh! God, Kailee!" she exclaimed, shoving the bill back into her wallet, and her wallet into her purse. "Thank you, Edward! I can't thank you enough!"

I watched as she left hurriedly with her bag and her purse, slamming the door behind her without a second glance back at me. I kept my car parked in front of the friendly—but worn-looking—daycare for a few minutes before I really realized what this meant.

Great! I could tell Alice about this place. She needed a place to send the kids, and if Bella was living here, maybe I'd eventually get a chance to get her number…It'd been far too long since I'd been with a woman, goddamn it. My pants were still feeling a little too tight from watching Bella Swan's ass sway as she ran into the house.

"Fantastic," I muttered to myself as I put the car in drive and pulled away, ingraining the address of the daycare into my brain. I began to think of things that would help make my hard-on disappear by the time I reached my sister's.

::::::

"It's about time! Jesus, Edward, what the hell took so long?"

"It's nice to see you too, Alice," I said sarcastically, pushing past my sister and into her house with the bags of medicine.

"Don't give me lip! My daughter is burning up with fever and you were off doing God knows what!" she exaggerated as she closed the door behind me. "I'm new to this area, Edward, and if I can't count on you to help me out, I—."

"Alice," I said sharply as I finally got my feet out of the goddamn shoes I hated so much. "I was helping someone else too, okay? She needed a ride home."

She rolled her eyes and took the medicine from me, leading the way to her kitchen. "And let me guess, you have a date Saturday night in which you will take her back to your condo, sleep with her, and hope she's gone when you wake up. Am I right?"

I clenched my teeth together. "I don't sleep around anymore. I've told you that."

"But you used to," she shot back at me.

"Don't you dare go calling back on the past! Until recently, you were gone for three years from my life! You don't know me anymore!"

"Uncle Edward?"

"Mellie, don't—."

Alice's daughter, Melanie, came racing around the corner, her face stretched into a huge grin. Jasper, Alice's husband, chased after her, his face distressed. Clearly he was the one who told Melanie not to come in, hearing me and Alice fight again. Alice and I had fought often within the past two weeks that she moved out here with Jasper and their daughters, but it would get better once we knew each other again…and once neither one of us was stressed out.

"Hey you!" I exclaimed as she collided into my legs and held on tightly. "Feeling any better?"

"Oh yes! Daddy took me to play in the _pawk_ today!" she crowed happily. Jasper shot me an apologetic look as he came to stand next to his wife. She was still glaring at me, but when Jasper kissed her cheek and took the medicine from her hands, she softened a little.

"The park!" I gasped. "Did you have fun?" I bent down to her level and kissed her cheek, which made her giggle.

"Yes!"

I laughed. "How's Livi doing?"

She suddenly frowned. "Oh. Mommy said she's still sick. She won't let me see her cause she doesn't want me to get sick again."

I stood up after kissing her forehead once and pushing back her blonde curls. "Mommy is being smart." I turned to Alice. "Can I see her before I leave?"

Alice gave me the stink eye for another minute before sighing and stepping forward. "Come on."

"Can I come, Mommy?" Melanie asked.

She shook her head. "No, baby. Go find Daddy and tell him—."

"To bring the drugs back," I interrupted, snickering.

"Edward!" Alice scolded, slapping my arm. I probably deserved it for telling her daughter to ask her father for 'the drugs'. But I was Alice's brother; it was my job to annoy her.

"Okay!" Melanie sang, rushing out of the room before Alice could tell her no. She turned to glare at me but I was still chuckling and she couldn't hold the angry expression for long.

"God, you're immature. I can't believe you're older than me," she said, leading me back to where Olivia was.

I shrugged as she reached for a doorknob and twisted it. "Some things never change."

"Thanks for the obvious," she retorted, pushing the door open.

"Any day," I told her with a grin, walking past her into the room. The walls were ballerina pink and there was a picture of a pair of dance shoes hanging next to the little window. Olivia—looking nearly identical to her younger sister Melanie—was lying on her stomach, her feet kicked up behind her and a easy-to-read book spread out in front of her. She glanced up at us and her face lit up, and though I could tell she was still recovering from sickness, she looked overjoyed to see us.

"Uncle Edward!" she exclaimed, scrambling off the bed and running towards me. She was five where Melanie was three.

"Hey, Livi!" I said earnestly as I bent down to hug her.

"Olivia Rae Whitlock, get your butt back in bed," Alice scolded.

Olivia pulled away from me and pouted. "But I don't feel as bad, Mommy."

I laughed and mussed her bed hair gently. "Just listen to your mommy, Livi."

She huffed. "Fine."

Jasper strode into the room with the cherry flavored medicine I'd bought. "Did someone tell Melanie to bring the drugs back or did she pick that up from school?"

"What are drugs, Daddy?" Olivia asked as she sat back in bed and closed her book.

"It was Edward," Alice snitched, reaching up high to muss my hair.

"Should've known," Jasper muttered as he knelt next to Olivia's bed and poured a teaspoon. He helped her drink it, and I chuckled at the face she made as it went down, before asking again.

"What are drugs, Daddy?"

"Nothing, sweetheart," he said, kissing her forehead. "Get some sleep, okay?"

"Okay."

He gave me a playful punch in the shoulder as he passed me to exit the room. I rubbed my eyes as Alice bid her daughter goodnight. Damn, I was tired.

"Night, Uncle Edward," Livi said sweetly as I kissed her nose.

"Sweet dreams, Liv. I'll see you tomorrow at Grandma's, okay?"

She nodded. "Okay. I love you."

I smiled. "Love you too, kid."

Alice and I left her room quietly and her face was thoughtful when she turned to me once the door was shut behind us.

"Why aren't you married yet, Edward?" she asked me.

I shrugged as I started down the hall. "Haven't found the one, I guess," I told her.

"You're twenty eight, Edward."

"So?"

"So?" she asked incredulously. "So, you haven't had a steady girlfriend since Rosalie broke it off with you two years ago! You're great with kids, hun, and you've got so much to offer; it can't be by woman's choice you are single right now."

"No," I said sharply as I reached the entryway and started to slip back on the shoes from hell. "It's my fault I'm not dating, you're right. But I haven't had time, Al. I've got my job."

"You don't want to get hurt again."

"What?"

"I can tell you don't love Rosalie anymore, but you're afraid of getting hurt like that again, aren't you?"

"I'm freaking tired," I muttered. "I have to get home."

"Answer the question, Edward."

"Night, Jazz; Night Mel!" I called as I rested my hand on the doorknob. Their chorused shouts of goodnight echoed after mine and I opened the door. It had stopped raining.

"Answer the goddamn question!" Alice insisted. I didn't answer her at first as I struggled to keep my emotions in check. She had to know that she was right.

I glowered at her. "What do you want me to say, Alice?"

"Tell me you're happy," she pleaded.

"I'm happy," I said, but my voice came out flat and dead.

She sighed and reached out to grip my arm. "Edward…"

"I'll call you tomorrow and tell you how to get to this daycare I found for the kids," I told her, shaking her hands off. "It's a nice place and I think the girls will love it."

She straightened. "You found us a daycare?"

"You wanna know where the hell I was before coming over? That's where," I confirmed, nodding my head.

Suddenly, she threw her arms around me. "Oh my God, Edward, thank you! You don't know how stressed I've been about that! I was worried I wouldn't be able to get a job, but if this place really works out…"

I hoped it would, not just for the Whitlocks, but maybe for me. Maybe I wanted to see Bella Swan again.

"I'm sure it will," I told her as she drew away from me.

"Oh my God. I can't believe you actually did something useful for me. And I didn't even have to ask! Oh! You're the best brother ever! Now go! You look tired. Don't forget to call me in the morning!"

I rolled my eyes but smiled as I left the house and shut the door behind me, finally recognizing the Alice I'd grown up with. The woman knew how to talk, and damn, did she use it. She could get anyone to agree to anything from her endless chatter. She used to be worse in high school; I was just glad things had changed since then.

When I got home half an hour later, I realized it was almost nine already. I groaned and flopped on my bed. Work was going to be a bitch tomorrow because I knew that my secretary Tanya—who'd I'd made the mistake of sleeping with once after Rosalie dumped me—would being trying twice as hard to seduce me, and because I wasn't halfway through with a project that was supposed to be completed by Friday; three days from now.

The only thing I held onto was tomorrow after work…seeing Alice and Jasper and their kids again…and maybe another 'accidental' run in with Bella Swan.

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**Taylor**: _OMFG. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I promised Nicole I'd take on this project; writing from Edward's perspective. Part 2 is yet to come, so the next chapter will also be Edward. I love writing from Edward's POV so I'm sure there'll be more of his perspective to come in the future. Don't hate us! We're so sorry! D: We still love reviews though…lol._

**Nicole:** _She's not all to blame, guys. :( I haven't gotten ANYTHING done for Technicolor either. We've both decided to take on these last chapters as our own projects so that we could get more work done, seeing as how we both had killer writer's blocks—Taylor with Tech. and me with Perm. We just decided, "Screw it! Let's switch." So we did and I have been so busy, I forgot about it. :( Well, it's almost summer. Maybe things will get better? Sorry for the lack of updates. :(_


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